


Leon Back In Time

by mythical_song_wolf



Series: From The Embers [1]
Category: Pocket Monsters | Pokemon (Main Video Game Series), Pocket Monsters | Pokemon - All Media Types, Pocket Monsters: Sword & Shield | Pokemon Sword & Shield Versions
Genre: Additional Warnings In Author's Note, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst, Blood, Canon Compliant, Champion Dande | Leon, Darkest Timeline, Emcee is both Victor and Gloria but also neither, F/F, Family Bonding, Fanon, Fluff, Friendship, Gen, Gender-Neutral Pronouns, Headcanon, Hurt, Implied/Referenced Character Death, Injury, Love, M/M, Male-Female Friendship, Mild Blood, Minor Injuries, Mother-Son Relationship, Mutual Pining, Nightmares, Not Really Character Death, Original Character(s), Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Pining, Pre-Canon, Pre-Relationship, Requited Love, Second Chances, Secret Past, Sleepy Cuddles, Slow Burn, Teenagers, Temporary Character Death, Time Travel, Time Travel Fix-It, Trauma
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-01-21
Updated: 2020-08-11
Packaged: 2021-02-27 11:13:31
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 12
Words: 23,004
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22342372
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mythical_song_wolf/pseuds/mythical_song_wolf
Summary: Leon wakes up five years in the past.When Chairman Rose hasn't fallen into Eternatus' temptation.When he's fifteen and young and still a kid.When Hop and Emcee haven't taken up the sword and shield.When he still has so much time to fix it all before it goes to hell.He's not wasting this second chance.(I Fucked up again, Chapter 12 hath been rewritten I'm sorry)
Relationships: Dande | Leon & Hop, Dande | Leon & Kabu, Dande | Leon & Kibana | Raihan, Dande | Leon & Nezu | Piers, Dande | Leon & Rurina | Nessa, Dande | Leon & Sonia, Dande | Leon/Kibana | Raihan, Kibana | Raihan & Nezu | Piers, Kibana | Raihan & Nezu | Piers & Rurina | Nessa, Kibana | Raihan & Rurina | Nessa, Nezu | Piers & Rurina | Nessa, Other Relationship Tags to Be Added
Series: From The Embers [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1800895
Comments: 73
Kudos: 346





	1. Second Chance

Leon snaps his eyes open and sees the dull but bright ceiling of a far too familiar hotel room in Hammerlocke. Following that he swiftly gets up with a sharp gasp and a hand coming over to clutch his chest as he tries to get his bearings.

He sees his Phone... except it doesn’t have Rotom in it. Then he notices his reflection in his phone screen... he looks younger. He looks like he’s fifteen.

What year is it?

He checks his phone, still the same complicated password he decided on using years ago.

It’s five years before... _It_ happened. He _is_ fifteen. He’s no longer twenty with the weight of his still far too young shoulders.

November 15th. Five and a quarter years before Hop and Emcee began their Gym Challenge.

He has time. He has time to fix it all before it began. He can make sure Hop and Emcee never have to pick up the sword and shield. He can make sure that everyone makes it out alive. He can make sure that It stays contained, or is at least released somewhere where It can be tamed.

He gets ready for the day and gets to work. He forgot his routine as a teen was as not as busy when he was an adult. It’s mostly training him or his Pokemon before he has a meeting with Oleana and Chairman Rose about his next few interviews and photoshoots and sponsors and—

“May I go home, sir?”

Rose pauses, and looks at him, “What?”

“May I go home and visit my family?” He plays with a piece of his cape, refusing to make eye contact, “I would like to start visiting them more since I haven’t had as much time with them as I wanted after becoming Champion and—”

“Alright.”

He blinks, “What?”

“You can go visit your family more,” Rose says, “You’re young, you should still be able to run around and be a kid. You shouldn’t have to worry about things no one your age should. We’ll cancel some of the sponsorship stuff, and who do you want to cover for you as the sort of Peace Keeper and Protector of Galar?”

“Thank you, and I’d like the Gym Leaders to do so. Kabu, Melony, Ms. Opal if she can, Charlotte—” Right she’s still Gym Leader with her husband— “And William.”

“Right, when do you want to leave?”

“I want to be home tomorrow afternoon, if that’s alright.”

Rose nods, “Okay, so we’re still be able to have that meeting with Raihan about your next exhibition match with him.”

 _Raihan._ Leon’s heart clenches in his chest. That’s right... along with Hop and Emcee and... and Sonia. Raihan’s fine too.

Despite the ache and confusion in his chest, his expression remains neutral as he finishes the meeting with the Chairman and he goes back to his hotel room to sleep.

...

Leon spends who knows how long staring up at the ceiling, a million thoughts and plans and factors and variables to try and attain the best outcome running through his head.

All of it is silenced when his heart remembers, _you can hug Hop again. You can see him alive again. You can fix the faded friendship between you and Sonia. You can watch Hop properly grow up. You can be there for him and for Sonia more than you ever were._

He gets up and out of bed and goes onto the roof of the hotel and sits on the ledge. Normally he would look down at the bright lights of the city and enjoy the peace of being outside and just being _Leon_ and not _Unbeatable Champion_ Leon. But tonight he’s looking up at the stars, as if the answer as to why he’s here is in them.

Why send him back when Emcee and Hop, Galar’s Sword and Shield, could’ve been brought back? Is it because they didn’t die together? Wouldn’t it have been better to send Sonia back? Because she’s been to the Weald and knows more about the Wolves’ history and It’s being? Why him? Why send back someone who failed to win the first time and died the second time back in time and not one of the real heroes of this story?

 _No. Don’t wallow in pity or guilt._ His mind tells him. _Carry on. Continue. Survive. This is our second chance, let’s not waste it._

He shakes and pushes down his guilt, his grief, his sorrow and rage. He gets up and heads back inside, determined to change the future but also to be much more present in the now.

* * *

Raihan flies over Hammerlocke on Flygon when he feels his heart stop. Flygon senses his distress, but Raihan only requests him to go closer to a certain building.

Leon sits on the rooftop edge, too close for Raihan’s comfort, staring up at the stars with a lost expression.

Raihan observes him from afar (but close enough just in case Leon does something stupid). He watches those usually bright and fiery and lively and utterly stunning golden eyes glow dim, dark, and terrified. The distant look of them not of a person lost to their own thoughts but of someone haunted by something (Raihan has seen the expression of some of the more hardened Dragon Tamers he’s met on his travels outside of Galar).

But then he sees that familiar flame ignite back into those eyes, determined to do something. And, knowing Leon, doing it successfully.

Raihan leaves once he hears the door of the hotel’s roof click close.

* * *

Leon goes on the meeting with ease after needing to do so for a decade (well, to everyone else half a decade). Before he’s set to leave, the Gym Leaders he’s asked to take up the protection of Galar arrive to iron out some details with the Chairman while Leon finishes up packing.

When he opens the door he sees Raihan standing there and it gives Leon the chance to properly look at Raihan. He’s lanky and awkward, not as tall as he will be. He tripped over his own feet a bit when they were discussing earlier.

It clicks in Leon’s head that this Raihan isn’t the Raihan he knew, at least in small experiences that they’ve yet to have. He doesn’t know how their relationship will go now that he’s planning on changing things but he knows for a fact that Raihan has had a crush on him since Raihan was thirteen.

Leon really needs to make a list of what he needs to change. He’s changed into a casual jacket and jeans with his red hat with the pure black crown.

It’s a simple outfit, he guesses. But he wants to go home as Leon Hart Eudios, he’s not going there as Unbeatable Champion Leon. He’s going to Postwick as a child of Postwick. He’s coming home and he’s not there to make it some spectacle. Maybe that’s why he ties his hair (it’s not as long as it will be, it’s barely below armpit length) and tucks it into his jacket and places his cap a bit lower than usual.

He notices Raihan tensing and fidgeting awkwardly, but thankfully he doesn’t press as the two head off back to Hammerlocke Castle because Raihan still needs to discuss some stuff with the other Gym Leaders and they don’t trust Leon with not getting lost so he's stuck waiting outside the castle.

Leon uses the wait time to making a mental list of all he needs to do before It happens.

  1. Get to _properly_ know the Gym Leaders because Arceus knows he only really got to know them when all of them were fighting for their lives (except Raihan).
  2. Reconcile with Sonia because they’re childhood friends, she knows him better than anyone and she’s smarter and more capable than she believes herself to be.
  3. Spend more time with his family. He’s not as close to his own baby brother as much as he should be. His brother knows him more through the telly screen instead of a person, he knows the persona of Champion Leon rather than his older brother Leon Hart.
  4. Divert Rose from—



“Hey! Give that back!” A little girl screams, as two teenage blondes— probably nearing 18— loom over the girl and a crying little boy behind her, “That belongs to my brother!”

“Well then why is it in _my_ brother’s hands?”

“Because you took it!”

Leon takes several steps forward, getting a better view of the two men. They’re in red and blue suits with the stupidest hair in the wor— Oh Arceus fucking dammit it’s those two.

Leon looks around to try and find the kids’ parents, conveniently for him they approach him and ask about their kids. He tells them he’ll get them in a moment before stepping between the two men and the children they’re harassing. He grabs toy the _men_ took from the kids and carries both children back to their parents.

“Thank you, young man.”

“No problem, sir.” He watches them quickly leave before turning back to the two men, “That was rude. Don’t you think?”

Sordward scoffs, turning to Shielbert, “Kids these days don’t know how to have fun, wouldn’t you say younger brother?”

“I would say so, older brother.”

Leon rolls his eyes, “Ok boomers.”

A pause, the two men twitch as their smiles turn into sneers.They furiously bring out their Sir’fetched to attack him a moment later.

Leon flips and dodges the Leaf Blades, Fury Cutters, and Pecks that come his way. He didn’t train on the Isle of Armour for nothing, and he isn’t the son of Galar’s Sky Queen if he can’t be as swift as the Pokemon she wields.

Though, a bit of his footing and angling is off, not taking into account his shorter stature, smaller frame, differing weight, and weaker muscles. But he adapts to it quickly, he didn’t become Galar’s Champion without the skill to adjust to any situation that comes his way.

He smirks as he sees the trainers (if he could even call them that) and their Pokemon get more frustrated with every blow he _easily_ dodges. It’s kind of sad, it just shows how terrible they are as battlers and how poorly they’ve trained their Pokemon. Sordward and Shielbert don’t have the makings of good trainers in them, not by a long shot, but they could be better than they are now (and what they were in the... fallen timeline. Yeah. It seems right to call it that).

“Dandelion!” Raihan calls and Leon foolishly lets his guard down enough to get hit with Slam, before getting sliced on his arm and leg.

He hisses before falling onto one knee, clutching his bleeding arm. He hears— no, _senses_ Rose, Raihan, Kabu, Melony, Opal, Charlotte, and William’s rage. He can sense Raihan’s Flygon shake in his ball from here. Hell, Charizard is absolutely fuming in his ball, ready to burst out of his own accord to protect him and reduce these fools to ash.

“SORDWARD LAWRENCE DE GALAR! SHIELBERT GARETH DE GALAR!” A woman screams, as she stomps into the scene with an Espeon subduing the two fighting types while it’s trainer screams and yells at her two sons before dragging them away by the ear. Saying something about Retired Gym Leader and War Vet Lieutenant Surge’s Boot Camp in Kanto.

 _Good riddance._ That’s another problem he won’t have to deal with in the future, thank Arceus.

Leon adjusts his hat to see a bit better, but not lifting it up enough for it to be like how he wears it as Champion. He pulls out his phone to check the time.

12:25pm. Shite, his train’s leaving in five minutes.

He turns and runs towards the station, bringing out a bandana to tie around his arm wound and another for the cut on his thigh.

He makes it in time. Boarding the train, he quickly finds his train room and patches up his wounds. He falls asleep not long after, since his train has several stops before it ends in Wedgehurst. The phone in his bag shaking violently with notifications and messages.

 **Raihan:** Did you get lost again?! Where are you?! We can’t find you!  
 **Kabu:** Where are you? Raihan and the Chairman are worried you might’ve missed your train home.  
 **Melony:** I hope you’re alright! Raihan is really worried about you!  
 **Rose:** Leon, where are you? Did you get lost again?  
 **William:** Leon, please message us, any of us, as soon as you see this

30 minutes later.

 **Raihan:** Dandelion... please... message back...


	2. Mother Knows

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Leon's home, and his home coming isn't a grand event. But oh does he notice the little things he was too busy and tired and young to really see.
> 
> But Leon had to get his keen eye from somewhere, right?

**Raihan:** Dandelion I swear to Arceus if you don’t message me back an hour after you get home I’m flying there myself

Leon smiles at the message, and the other 100 messages prior to that, knowing that Raihan  _ would actually fly to Postwick all the way from Hammerlocke. _

**Leon:** Okay! Okay! Geeze!

**Leon:** I’m in Wedgehurst, exiting the station.

He sees that Raihan immediately reads the message, and Leon can only imagine how relieved he is that Leon’s alright. He walks through the town, unnoticed for the most part outside of a few people who know him well enough to recognize him but also to respect him enough not to call him out.

He looks up from his phone as he stands at the start of route 1. The Pokemon in the area aren’t that hostile, except for the occasionally mischievous Nickit, and Leon is more than capable of handling it. But it’s still better to be safe and aware.

**Leon:** I’m entering route 1

**Leon:** I’ll call you later tonight! Sound good?

Raihan’s probably sputtering over that text as his, newly hired, gym trainers tease him. Leon can only chuckle at the thought as he walks through the route, ignoring the subtle stab in his heart as the darker corners of his mind reminds him  _ he’s not yours yet. _

_ He will be. _ Another part of his mind snaps.

He shakes his head, dispelling those thoughts from his mind. He can’t think of his love life now when he has to prevent the fall of Galar and make sure the things he regrets back then don’t happen now.

* * *

Amelia watches as her youngest tackles her eldest son, while her parents are a mixture of frantic shock and stunned silence.

Leon’s home. And her parents treat him like an honoured guest while Hop acts as if he only sees him once in a blue moon. While both facts are true, it seems that Leon is finally seeing it and winces.

She watches her two sons sit on the couch as Hop rambles on about all the small, but exciting, things happening in his life. Amelia sits down next to her sons once she sees that Leon is here to fully give his attention to the family, none of his duties following him. Even right now, he’s dressed in casual wear instead of that ridiculously heavy cape with sponsors on the back.

Hop rambles on about befriending the neighbour's kid (She notices how Leon’s eyes brighten and flicker in recognition... but he’s never met the neighbours. At least not these ones, who moved in around the time he became Champion).

Hop briefly turns to her before turning back to Leon and telling him that she’s planning on giving him a Pokemon soon (Only for his protection... and so her little boy isn’t as lonely. She knows how Hop has very few friends, but same goes to Leon. It’s a consequence of living in such a quiet and remote town. But she’d rather have them grow up somewhat humbled by the simple life instead of growing arrogant under the birthright of the spotlight). She notices the sparkle of excitement and recognition in Leon’s eyes, as if he knows exactly what Pokemon Hop’s going to get.

Hop continues rambling on, eventually tiring himself out after a day of playing and adventures, falling asleep in his brother’s arm.

“I’ll take him upstairs,” Leon whispers to her, she nods, letting him go.

She picks up her phone and opens a contact she hasn’t touched in a decade but one she’s kept in case something happened.

**Amelia:** I’m surprised you let my son visit so abruptly, Malcom.

**Malcom:** Now! Amelia, I can explain!

**Amelia:** You better.

Despite knowing that Malcom can’t hear it, she rotates her neck, making a threatening  _ cracking _ sound.

**Malcom:** Leon abruptly asked me yesterday and... did you notice how off he was acting?

**Amelia:** Indeed, I did.

Like how Leon's gaze on Hop was bright but also as if he's surprised Hop's here. Right in front of him.

**Malcom:** I let him go because I think time at home will let him get his head on straight. His request was odd, but not surprising.

**Amelia:** Which is?

**Malcom:** Didn’t he tell you?

**Amelia:** He was ensnared by my youngest and right now he’s tucking the little one into bed. What did he ask?

**Malcom:** He asked if he could visit and that he wanted to visit more since he hasn’t had much time with his family since he became Champion.

**Malcom:** He’s young. He deserves the chance to still be a child. I’m sorry that I took some of that away.

He’s safe, for now. She continues their conversation, briefly discussing the young Gym Leaders before Malcom has to leave for a meeting with Leon’s sponsors.

(Oleana will contact her if any of them decide to be...  _ difficult) _

She puts down her phone and finds that Leon hasn’t come down. She goes up to Hop’s bedroom to find Leon asleep by his brother’s beside, his hand over Hop’s much smaller one as they both quietly snooze. The sight makes her heart melt.

Amelia releases a shaky breath as she realizes, for the first time in five years, she’s seeing her son again. She doesn’t see Galar’s seemingly Unbeatable Young Champion. She sees Leon Hart Paganous Eudios, her little dandelion.

She drapes a blanket over her son, before kissing both of her boys’ foreheads.

“Good night my sundrops, sweet dreams.”

* * *

Amelia pulls out her phone once more to message an old group chat, who’s last message was five years ago (the last message being a wave of congratulations. To who it's for is unclear).

**Amelia:** My son is home and safe, don’t worry.

Only one of them replies before the others follow suit.

**Char:** Should I or one of the others tell Raihan?

**Billy:** Honey, we’re in Wyndon doing Leon's paperwork. We barely have time to message this chat as is.

**Kabu:** Knowing how much closer Raihan is to Leon compared to the rest of us, Leon probably already messaged him

**Melony:** Indeed, even when I was leaving I saw him still trying to message him.

**Opal:** That boy cares much about the Champion, no?

**Kabu:** Nessa and Milo say that Raihan has a crush, and by how quickly Raihan paled when Leon was hurt? I don’t doubt them.

**Amelia:** Speaking of my son getting hurt... What. Happened?

Everyone, in their own locations, except Opal, shiver at the message. Feeling her rage being carried over by Galar’s winds.

**Opal:** Two brats attacked him after he stopped them from bullying some children. Both of them are 17. A few months short of 18. Their mother is sending off to Surge’s Boot Camp in Kanto. I’ve already messaged Surge on what the boys did, and he’ll punish them accordingly.

**Amelia:** Good.

**Amelia:** Why didn’t my son retaliate or bring out one of his Pokemon? Because I know Charizard wouldn’t have let him get hurt.

**Billy:** I believe it’s because he didn’t stand up to them as the Champion, and thus didn’t want to cause a scene by revealing he is.

**Amelia:** Ah

**Kabu:** Amelia, why did you message us so suddenly? It’s been almost two decades since you’ve actually made contact with any of us. I understand that you’re worried about your son, but even when he started his Gym Challenge you never attempted to message any of us

**Kabu:** So why the sudden change?

**Amelia:** ...

**Amelia:** I think something happened with Leon that caused him to abruptly want to visit. He didn’t contact me about visiting, and according to Malcom he decided to come home and request more visits suddenly yesterday.

**Amelia:** It’s concerning, the change is not unwelcomed but... I need to know what caused this.

**Opal:** Eyes still as keen as ever, I see. We’ll message you any other oddities we notice, though we don’t know the boy well enough to tell the difference between oddities or him just being him.

**Amelia:** Well, regardless, updates on my son are very much welcomed. I might speak with all of you more, it has been too long.

**Char:** The simple life not as exciting as you’d like?

**Amelia:** I like the relaxing atmosphere, but it gets... stuffy after a while. I sometimes sneak away to take a flight when I need something more

**Opal:** You were always made for the skies and for bigger things than the simple life, and we all see that it holds true for your son

**Billy:** Dearest apologize about cutting this short but Charlotte and I need to settle a dispute in Spikemuth. I believe Melony is being called over as well, to help out with something going on in the Wild Area

**Kabu:** Ah, and I need to help one of the factories find a Pokemon that’s been breaking into the locks

**Amelia:** Don’t let me keep you, besides I have to make dinner

* * *

Raihan lies next on his bed, staring at the phone on his bedside table, waiting. Waiting. Waiting for Leon to call like he promised.

He feels himself drifting off to sleep when the screen lights up and he frantically goes to pick it up to see the contact name.

**Dandelion:** Sorry! I feel asleep after I got home, did I wake you up?

**Raihan:** No, not really

**Raihan:** So, wanna talk or text?

**Dandelion:** Call, I wanna hear your voice

If anyone tells you that Raihan was blushing in this moment, they’re a liar. He’s totally  _ not _ softly blushing from his cheeks to the tip of his ears as a goofy grin is plastered on his face. He’s  _ not. _

He does, however, startle when his phone starts to ring as Leon calls.

“H-hey!” He stutters out, frantically sitting up on his bed as he realizes that it’s a video call.

Leon chuckles, low and tired. He’s still lying on his bed, hair mused from sleep, eyes sleepy but glittering.

_ “Hey yourself,” _ Leon replies, voice sounding deeper than it normally is.

He coughs, hoping that Leon doesn’t notice how nervous he is, “So, what do you want to talk about?”

Leon shrugs, humming,  _ “Up to you, mate.” _

“...What happened before you left for Postwick?” He sees Leon stiffen, but all the worry he’s been pushing back so he could work is finally coming back up, “Why did those two guys attack you? Are you okay? Did you properly bandage and treat your wounds? Does your mum know? Why didn’t you fight back? Wh—”

_ “Raihan, Raihan. Calm down.” _ He sees Leon sit up.  _ “To answer your questions. Two guys were bothering some little kids, and generally being a pain in the arse. I suppose I pissed them off by not being impressed by them or something. I bandaged my wounds on the train, I haven’t properly treated it yet—” _

**“Leon!”**

_ “I know, I know. I will after we—” _

“Treat them right now, so I know you’re actually doing it.”

Leon sighs, rolling his eyes, before putting down his phone and slipping away from the camera’s view. Raihan hears a few things shift before he sees Leon’s moved his phone to his desk and has some medical supplies on it.

He’s complying... that’s... unexpected but not really unwelcomed.

_ “See?” _

“Seeing.”

_ “My mom did notice, and I didn’t fight back because bringing out any of my team members would’ve brought too much attention to me and... I just wanted to go home as me. Not the Champion... and I didn’t want to cause a scene.” _

Leon looks so sad, even if he’s looking anywhere but at his phone (and thus by extension Raihan). It makes his heart constrict in a way that makes him want to wipe that sad look off of Leon’s face.

“It’s alright. You deserve time away from your title. Get some rest, we can talk more later... okay?”

Leon hums, opening his mouth to say something before—

_ “Ah, Leon, you’re awake, are you hungry?” _ Leon’s mum asks, before looking into the camera,  _ “Oh, are you talking with a friend? Don’t let me keep you!” _

“No, it’s fine ma’am. I was just making sure he’s okay. Talk to you later?”

Leon looks at him with those bright and beautiful eyes of his as he softly says, _ “Talk to you later-” _ He bites his tongue, as if to stop himself from saying he’ll regret,  _ “Bye.” _

“Yeah, bye.”

The call ends and Raihan drops back into his bed, looking up at the ceiling. The look Leon gave him making his chest feel all warm and fuzzy and gooey, it makes him feel all giddy and soft and... and—!

“Sdowkeoijsfoijwesdjne.” Raihan turns to scream into his pillow.


	3. Quiet Moments

“Talk to you later-” Leon bites his tongue before he adds in the _‘I love you’_ that’s become so habitual to him.

_He’s not yours._

_I know._

He ends the call, only mulling over for a moment before he goes downstairs to eat a late dinner. Mum’s already started cleaning, and once he’s done he helps her. The two work with nothing but the silence and the faint sounds of night and their work around them.

“How are your wounds?” She asks, drying a plate.

“Fine, I’ve properly treated and bandaged them,” He mindlessly answers as he places the plate she hands him to the shelf.

“Good.”

Thank Arceus she doesn’t press because he doesn’t think his head is clear enough to answer, but he knows of her keen eye. She’s going to find out something’s off eventually, if she hasn’t already... but she wouldn’t be the last person she wants finding out (that would be Hop and Emcee... they’re too young right now, but he’d rather not have them feel guilty for anything they couldn’t do in the fallen timeline).

He goes through the motions of the night on auto pilot, as his mind filters through what he needs to do. At least having some plan, because if he does this on the fly— well, it’ll still probably work. Preplanning and free styling are the reasons he’s kept his Champion title for five (ten) years in a row, the ability to make a counter strategy that can decimate an opponent, and the ability to be able to beat them even when something unpredictable happens. Like every battle with Raihan, he stopped trying to pre plan for their battles because they both fall into a rhythm and dance that changes every time (and he loves it).

Anyway, he’s getting sidetracked. He makes a few mental plans of things he has to do, or at least try to.

One, divert Rose from summoning Eternatus... that should be... okay enough... the Chairman only went that route due to the lack of action people were taking to care for the Earth. He knows only one way to do that, and its by either going to or starting events that involve as such. A rumour of the Champion going out to help clean Spikemuth’s filthy, neglected, and polluted beach? It's sure to get crowds to come, whether following his lead because of blind admiration, genuinely want to help, or because they’re following the crowd, it gets work done.

One movement will follow the other, and the next, and so on until it dominos into, hopefully, something better.

...

 **Fuck,** he needs to take into account the domino affect. If he lessens with activity with sponsors and promotions, his public image might shrink a bit, and his income would also lower... Frankly, he doesn’t give a crap. He makes more than enough as is as Chairman Rose’s Endorsement and League Champion, and he doubts that most of his sponsors will drop him for long considering how much exposure having even _one_ of their clothing items on Leon’s person can get them.

So—

**Aawoooooo~.**

No. No way.

**Woooooooo~.**

They can’t be— they should still be—

**Wooooo~.**

They... they should still be deep in their slumber... Rose hasn’t found It yet... they have no reason to stir from their slumber... unless...

He gets up from his bed, and looks out his window to spot two pairs of eyes piercing through the fog surrounding the Weald, calling to him. Urging him to come to them.

Leon gulps, before pulling away from his window. He’s shaking. Why is he shaking? He knows they’re good. That they’re the heroes of Galar’s past and eventual future. Why is he shaking?

He takes in a sharp, but shaky and wet breath, “No... not... not today... not tonight...”

He’ll visit them on his own terms. When he’s ready to learn what they have to tell him.

For now, he needs to get some rest to face the day ahead of him.

* * *

William and Charlotte are in one of the many floors and offices of Rose Tower. Charlotte on the floor with a Ponyta in her arms.

William drinks his coffee as he looks at a file of a for endorsement.

A girl from Stow-On-Side, age 12. Endorsed by the Psychic type Gym Leader.

William spares a glance to Charlotte as she lifts up the Ponyta in her arms. His lips twitch slightly into a smile.

In Spikemuth, Piers lifts up his little sister as she comes barreling towards him. He twirls her around as she giggles in delight.

In Motostoke Stadium, Kabu’s training. The intense heat of the stadium making him sweat.

In Circhester, Melony stands before a young boy at her front door. The boy wears grey and black, his hair white with yellows tips. Melony’s eyes are as hard and cold as the ice her Pokemon wield.

In Ballonlea, Opal sits by her window to look out into the Tangle. A particular creature flies through the forest, with small wings that allow Glimwood’s pinks and purples to sparkle through them.

* * *

Leon and his family get up at early dawn to tend to the farm and the Wooloo till the sun has fully risen (Hop helps, and it sort of clicks in Leon’s head how his brother made such quick work with Milo’s Gym Mission). After that, his grandparents tend to other sections of the farm while their mother starts prep on lunch, leaving Leon to watch Hop.

He brings out his team, _all_ of his team. Even the members he shuffles around depending on the situation or battle.

There aren’t rules as to how many Pokemon a trainer can carry, only how many they can use in battle and other regulated competitions, like contests. Trainers, typically, have only a maximum of six on them because they can’t afford to feed more mouths, but Leon can, so he always has all of his Pokemon with him.

Hop plays tag with some of the Yamper, Leon’s Jolteon, Volcarona, Charizard, and his Dragapult’s Dreepy, while the others simply enjoy their chance to relax and take a break.

Seismatoad and Milotic enjoy soaking in the lake near their house. Mr. Rime and Aegislash help out mum in the kitchen. Haxorus and Rhyperior are both taking naps under the warm sun. Dragapult keeps an eye on Hop and her Dreepys as she sits next to Leon under the shade of a tree, with his Alolan Ninetales curled up next to him.

It’s so... peaceful. It’s nice. To just be able to breath and be without fear for his life and the lives of those around him.

He fiddles around his phone, checking the news to figure out what exactly is going on at this time that he should take note of, as well as to catch up on the most recent things he’s talked about with others.

He also changes his contact names, and winces upon seeing how... _professional_ most of them are. He literally has Nessa and Milo’s contacts as their full names! That definitely can’t stay.

He switches between watching his brother, checking the news, scrolling through old messages, and such until he gets a text.

 **Rose:** The meeting with your sponsors didn’t go as well as I’d hoped.

 **Rose:** Some of them are going to drop you, are you okay with that?

 **Leon:** Of course, I told you before I was fine with it. I doubt they’ll drop me forever though, because having me wear or use whatever they have _once_ gets them too much exposure and advertisement.

Rose takes a while to reply, and Leon quickly scrambles in his brain how he dealt with these things before— He didn’t. He didn’t deal with them, that’s why Rose must be surprised. Because he always let Rose and Oleana handle the business aspect while he only did what was told.

In the end the Chairman gives up on replying to that statement.

 **Rose:** You have a photoshoot with Nessa and Raihan when you get back, it’s for a teen fashion line. You still up for it?

 **Leon:** Of course, thank you, sir.

 **Rose:** No problem, Leon. Now go spend time with your family.

Right on cue, his mother calls him and Hop over for lunch.

Lunch is uneventful. Leon catches up on what the family’s been doing and he updates them, vaguely, on what’s been happening on his end (things are still trying to click together, his memories from the fallen timeline leaving his brain a bit scrambled as his death still feels so raw, yet that memory feels as recent as him running around Hammerlocke Castle with Raihan as he rambled on about history. Both of them just two kids with responsibilities of adults on their small shoulders enjoying time being kids).

When there’s a sudden lull in the conversation, Hop speaks up.

“Can we go out flying, Lee?” Hop looks up at him with those Lillipup eyes that Leon could never say no too even if the request is something his mother and his own judgement disapprove of.

He turns to mum, which causes Hop to look to her as well. She glances between both of her sons before sighing in defeat.

“Fine.” Her boys cheer. “But—” Of course there’s a ‘but—.’ “Only if I get to join you.”

Leon stares wide eye at his mother. She’s never offered this before.

 _But then again,_ his mind supplies, _she did hide what she did before she had you from both you and Hop for twenty years._

_Touche._

“Sure?”

Mum smirks, and it reminds him of the one he wears in battle. When he’s about to do something that lands him the victory.

It’s so much more chilling to be on the receiving end of it all.

* * *

Leon should not have agreed to ride on one of his mum’s Pokemon. He really shouldn’t have.

But here he was swiftly soaring up on his mum’s Corviknight, as Hop hollars in delight while Leon tries to hold back his screams of terror.

Mum was next to them on her Braviary, laughing loud and bright, a sound that Leon hasn’t heard much of because his mum has always given them soft giggles and chuckles while his dad was the one with the loud laughs.

It seems him and Hop got their own bright and loud laughs from their mum as much as they did their dad.

Once Corviknight and Braviary pierce through the clouds, both birds slow down to gently glide over them. Mum snatches Hop from him as he weaves a hand through the clouds.

“This is my favourite part about flying,” Leon whispers, closing his eyes and spreading his arms wide open to feel the wind against his skin.

“It’s my favourite too,” Mum replies in a tone as soft as the clouds around them. She fits here. Belongs here better than she does as a housewife and a farmer.

“Mum,” Hop says, looking up to her, “What did you do before you became mum?”

Mum smiles, her eyes looking far off into the distance, beyond the clouds and skies, in a daze, wistful. “I used to be a trainer.”

“Why’d you stop being one?” Leon can’t help but ask because he knows how capable his mother is even after two decades of being retired.

She looks at him, happy and bright like always but also missing the spark she had in her eyes earlier, “I had you, and I don’t regret it one bit.”

“Don’t you miss it, though? Being a trainer, going around, exploring, meeting new people...”

She sighs, “I do, but I have you two and the farm to take care of.”

“Wouldn’t dad want you to be happy?” Hop asks, and if memory serves, this is now the first mention he made of their father. Hop would’ve asked at nine what happened to him. It seems that’s changed with a single flight.

Small changes.

Small shifts.

What will it change, for better or for worse. Who knows. Not I.

Leon’s throat tightens, while mum tenses up before she shakily replies, “He would...”

The rest of the flight is silent, and somewhat sombre. But... peaceful in a way that’s more freeing.

* * *

The rest of the day passes by in a peaceful blurr, his head feels fuzzy and warm but also cold and cloudy.

He closes his eyes in the warmth of his bed in Postwick, before opening them to find himself sitting in an open field, on a hill with a singular tree.

He stares into the eyes of Celebi.

It’s another night of those dreams. Huh.

He had it on his first day back, too, when he finally got some sleep. Except he was chasing Celebi through Glimwood Tangle before stumbling onto this exact field. It told him about needing to tell him some things before disappearing into the light that awoke him.

Why it didn’t tell him then is a mystery.

“What do you need to tell me?”

_“You need not worry about certain things from the future you hail from to be lost. Somethings from there were always meant to be.”_

“Like what?”

_“That, I cannot tell you. Just pray that it’s the things you wish to keep.”_

“Then how do I know what you say is true?”

_“Touche. One thing, out of many, that is certain to happen no matter what you do is the boy with violet eyes being taken in by Galar’s Queen of the Fairies.”_

“Not what I wanted but thank you. Do you have anything else to tell me?”

_“Not anything that you need to worry about. This should be the last time we meet. Good luck and farewell, Champion of Galar.”_

“Thank you.” Leon closes his eyes again before waking up in his room to hear the sound of his family getting ready for another day.


	4. Nightmares

Leon watched as the building crumbled, everything moved in slow motion as his baby brother tried to run faster than the debri could fall.

Hop wasn’t fast enough.

Leon watched a piece of concert fall in front of him before another fell over where Hop should’ve been running around. He felt the arms of a few people holding him back as he _screamed_ for his brother. Let him go! His baby brother’s under that! He needs to save him!

(He would later find out it was Raihan, Milo, and Gordie holding him back. They apologized to him with tears in their eyes. Leon never blamed them and he told them as much)

Once the rubble had settled, everyone scattered to find anyone else lost to the crumbling building.

Thankfully no one else was found (because Hop had made _sure_ that everyone was safe. That everyone was protected. He wasn’t chosen as Galar’s Shield for nothing) except the one person everyone saw.

It’s Amelia— mum— who found his body. She immediately called Leon and Emcee over, her tone panicked and near a screech when she did.

Both him and Emcee froze when they saw Hop’s body, Emcee lifting their hands to immediately cover their mouth with a gasp. Leon was just shaken, and frozen. Regardless, they both snapped out of the shock and shakingly walked towards Hop’s body and fell to their knees.

Hop’s eyes were closed, a faint smile on his face. Happy and content that no one but him had perished.

Leon let a single tear fall for his brother before he composed himself and picks up the shield, because the protectors of the region have to be strong. They can’t let their grief pull them down. A moment of weakness could lead to more grief than necessary.

Be strong. Carry on. Live.

Despite those thoughts going through all the adults’ heads, they allow Emcee their grief. Because while Amelia lost a son she didn’t love enough, and Leon lost a brother he didn’t know enough, Emcee lost the singular constant in their life. The one person who was always there by their side. Even when Emcee came out as who they really are. Even when Emcee was new to Postwick. All the way to the Champion Cup Finals, going up and through the Gym Leaders to battle Leon _together._

Emcee and Hop. Hop and Emcee. The Sword and Shield. Galar’s two shining stars and bright heroes.

* * *

Leon snaps awake in a cold sweat, heart racing as his ears ring. He looks around where he is. He’s in a bed, in a room with a desk, a collection of snapbacks, a bookshelf and— and...

Right...

Right..

Right.

He’s home. In Postwick. Five years in the past. He’s fifteen again. Hop is five and very much alive.

_But what if he isn’t._

He knows that doesn’t make sense, he’s back in the past and thus Hop should be alive.

_What if he isn’t though._

It— it wouldn’t hurt to check on him still.

He slips out of bed and quietly crosses the hall and enters Hop’s room to find exactly what he’s looking for. His baby brother, still so small, so young, innocent, and unharmed, alive, breathing, and well.

He walks closer to his brother’s bed and gently brushes a hand over his face. Not enough to stir Hop from his sleep, but enough to reassure Leon that he’s actually here.

He lets out a breath he didn’t know he was holding, burying his hands into his face as he tries to compose himself.

(A part of his mind remembers his brain isn’t as developed yet, physically speaking. He’s more emotional and reactant, especially with his hormones being all over the place. Meaning if he could cope with something back in the fallen timeline, it doesn’t mean he can now. In this second chance.

A wiser part of his mind suggests he tell someone.

But who?)

He steps out into the hall and makes his way back to his room.

“Leon?” Amel— Mum says, causing him to turn to look at her, “What are you doing up, sweetie?”

He opens his mouth, before closing it, his ability to make excuses failing him suddenly. He’s thankful for his mother’s keen eye in that moment, because she simply pulls him into a gentle hug until she feels the trembling (when did he start trembling?) in his form stop.

“Are you okay, my sundrop?” He hesitantly nods, not trusting his voice at the moment. Mum isn’t convinced, but she lets him go for now, “Get some rest, you have a train to catch tomorrow.”

She gives his head a final pat before letting him go.

* * *

Leon’s dreams are filled with flashes of future joys before it snaps to future pains.

One moment he’s in Raihan’s warm embrace as the two of them slowly sway to a quiet tune, his heart warm and content and just so happy and in love with the man in his arms.

But then it snaps to Raihan bleeding out in his arms, as he cries and begs for him to stay _alive. Keep your eyes open. Stay awake, please! Please! Don’t- Don’t leave me too!_

He wakes up tired and groggy and general feels like absolute shite, but he pushes it back the best he can so his mum doesn’t notice and start to worry.

He bids his family goodbye, making sure to give all of them firm hugs before he leaves. He promises his mum that he’ll be here to help Hop get his first Pokemon, but all she asks of him is that they go on another flight together, and who is he to deny Galar’s Queen of the Skies?

He does deny the offer of someone escorting him to the train station and heads over there on his own, taking a slight detour to the local cafe for the caffeine he desperately needs.

Why didn’t he drink coffee at home you ask? Two reasons. One, his family barely has coffee in the house, but it’s the _good_ kind of coffee at least. He’s pretty sure that his mum is the only one that drinks coffee frequently enough for them to even have to buy any, probably a taste and habit for it from her time in the city before Leon was born. Two, his mum would just worry more because she (along with several others) know he doesn’t have a taste for it. He prefers the overly watered down and highly sweetened and creamed kinds of coffee. He avoided it unless things got too overwhelming back in the fallen timeline, and as a teen he avoided it completely. He usually opted for either fraps or hot chocolate.

Will he regret this two shot white chocolate mocha? Probably. Will he drink it anyway? If he doesn’t want to be dead tired when he goes for the final check over for the photoshoot tomorrow, then he has to.

He gets some blueberry scones because why not, he works out and trains with his Pokemon enough that he’s earned it (besides, he might go visit the Isle to get some more training... maybe ask his old mentor about training him on how to use a blade).

He takes a seat near the window as he bides his time, munching on his scones. He lets the calmer atmosphere lead his mind to planning some smaller changes he’s going to make. He has five years to change everything. That’s more than enough time to fix things... It wouldn’t hurt to be a bit indulgent now, would it? The universe owes him that much.

“Leon?” He’s snapped out of his daze by _her_ voice. The voice of a dead woman that passed too soon. “What are you doing here? I didn’t know you were visiting.”

(If memory serves, he’s stopped telling her when he’s visiting since he was twelve. She’s used to this, but the hurt of betrayal and feeling of being left behind is still fresh enough that she hasn’t let it go... and it’s understandable. She has every right to be angry or even resentful of him after he essentially left her behind. He wouldn’t even blame her for it if she did)

“I’m actually leaving today,” He says, giving her a smile, a real one because it would be rude to give her anything less, “We should hang out next time I’m visiting, it’s been too long.”

He sees her subtle flinch before she speaks, “Yeah... It really has been... When- When’s your train due?”

He checks his phone, “Fifteen minutes, I’ve got time.”

“But what if you get lost?”

“I’ll be _fine,_ I got this.” He gets up and puts his bag on, grabbing his drink with him.

Sonia’s eyes trail to his drink, “Since when did you start drinking caffeine? You always got too hyper from a bit too much chocolate when we were kids.”

“I needed the pick-me-up.” He walks past her but he sees the confusion and worry in her eyes.

He’s early for his train by seven minutes.


	5. Thoughts Of The Prince

When Kabu first saw Leon during the Opening Ceremony, he felt something about the boy was familiar and he couldn’t quite figure out what until he fought the boy a month and a half later.

Kabu could tell from Leon’s battles that he was skilled, talented, and had a natural affinity and instinct for battle. But something about those golden eyes reminded him of something that he still couldn’t figure out.

During his inevitable battle with Leon, he witnessed first hand the boy’s dedication to his training and strength but the care for his Pokemon as well. With how he evolved his Feebas not by trade (according to the records) but by carefully giving it a specific diet similar to what the people of Hoenn and Sinnoh do.

When Kabu went against that Milotic with his Centiskorch, he saw first hand the boy’s prowess in battle. From how he elegantly yet powerfully commands his Pokemon, to how he entered and exited the pitch with the act of a proper showman. Like he was born for the stage and spotlight.

Kabu realized, hours after their battle, that Leon Hart Eudios is the son of Amelia Katharine Paganous.

He chastised himself for weeks after that, because how could he not recognize that the boy whose head was always in the clouds, the boy who dedicated so much time and meticulous planning to raising one Pokemon while equally training the rest just as well, the boy with purple hair and piercing golden eyes was Amelia’s son?! How did Kabu miss that?!

Thankfully he wasn’t alone, because even Charlotte, William, and Melony were absolutely appalled upon battling Leon and realizing that he’s Galar’s Sky Prince.

(Kabu didn’t tell them his realization because he had Cultura and Aquata to vent to about his freak out. They were never as close to Amelia as the others, but even then Amelia kept a certain distance from everyone. Being at the top of the clouds must’ve been lonely, no wonder she settled for a more grounded life for herself and her sons)

It seemed that Leon was (and still is) unaware of his mother’s status, but Kabu’s glad that the boy still claimed a crown when he was titled Galar’s Battle Prince and later the crown at the top of the League’s trainers as their Champion.

But it’s lonely at the top, and Kabu had feared the young Prince was going to be pushed to be a King too soon.

He saw hints of it. In how Leon seemed to be more and more active in Galar’s protection and the improvement of its trainers. In how he had more and more interviews and fan meet ups every year.

Kabu could see where this path would lead Leon, isolation and lack of an identity outside of being Champion, not even mentioning the hero complex the boy might develop. Being responsible for so much at such a young age.

He was glad that Leon has decided to trust him and the others to take up some of his responsibilities.

* * *

A tunnel collapsed with the train tunnel separating Hammerlocke and Motostoke, as some of Galar’s most powerful trainers, Gym Leaders, Champions, and highly respected Trainers are expected to aid in incidents like these.

Kabu and Leon had already cleared their end, so now it was up to Raihan and Nessa to clear the remaining half.

“So, wait, what happened?”

“Something came up, something with Leon.”

Raihan tenses, the grip on the stone he’s removing tightening as he whips his head to Nessa, “Is he okay?” He tries to sound neutral but Nessa knows him better than that. Actually, it’s also probably because his crush is not that well-hidden from everyone except the Champion.

Nessa rolls her eyes, “He’s probably fine, lover boy. He’s Mr. Unbeatable, after all.”

_ That doesn’t make him less human though. _ Raihan wants to say. But he knows that Leon’s act of the Unbeatable Champion is something very few can look past, even people who can get closer to him have trouble seeing past it at times.

He can’t blame them. Leon’s always busied himself with his Champion duties to the point of exhaustion, but those bouts usually happen when he’s close enough to fall into Raihan’s arms (each time he sees Leon fall, his heart stops for a moment until he realizes Leon’s alright).

He swears Leon plans it, because he can easily convince him not to tell Rose. And he can excuse his break in Hammerlocke as him training with Raihan to test out a few new strategies and techniques.

He’s thankful that Leon’s deciding to take it easy, spend more time with his family and maybe get to know the other Gym Leaders better. Though, Leon’s first day of that change was concerning, considering Leon left for the station bleeding.

(There’s also that night where he saw Leon on the roof. Raihan doesn’t know what was going through his head, but it was terrifying to see Leon look so... lost.

Sure, he’s seen Leon get lost in the city and look like a scared and confused Lillipup, but that expression on his face that night... it was so... hopeless. Terrified. Confused. Angry. Sad. Just... so many emotions that Raihan can’t even fathom what Leon could’ve gone through that made him have that expression on his face.

I mean— Just barely a week ago the two of them were playing tag in the halls of the castle for Pete's sake! What changed?)

He shakes his head, trying to dispel Leon from his thoughts for now to focus on clearing the tunnel with Nessa and their Pokemon.

* * *

Nessa doesn’t know Leon well. Sure, they bumped into each other a fair amount when they were still on their Gym Challenge, but usually she would speak to Sonia because her Squirtle adored Nessa.

She knows that Leon’s strong, smart, quick on his feet, and trained in not just Pokemon battle but in some hand-to-hand combat as well. She also knows of his terrible sense of direction, the fact that he’s from the quiet farming town of Postwick, he has a baby brother, and that Raihan’s had a crush on him since he was thirteen.

She knows the base facts about Leon that most fans would know, but nothing more than that.

From what she can tell from the few times she’s interacted with Leon before and after he became Champion, he’s... honestly everything the media says about him. He is Galar’s Battle Prince, and the title of Prince is very correct. He’s polite and mannerful and sweet. He asked Ms. Opal for a dance during his first Gala, before eventually asking Ms. Melony and Ms. Charlotte for a dance as well.

She’s fought him once and, obviously, lost. But the battle had been so quick that she couldn’t get much of a read on him. Ms. Opal had told her and the others that Leon was a hard person for her to read.

But Raihan had scoffed and mumbled something under his breath, whatever it was earned him a smack from Opal’s umbrella. He didn’t seem angry about it though, so she’s still curious as to what he said.

Speaking of Raihan... the first time she, or any of the Gym Leaders, saw the two interact was during the Motostoke Gala.

It was the first time the new Gym Leaders had all gotten to properly gather, as the opening ceremony didn’t give them enough time since they had to return to their gyms as soon as possible.

She was thirteen at the time, as was Raihan. It was a few months after he figured out he had a crush on Leon and he went to her to freak out about it.

Leon was twelve, a few months shy of thirteen. Twelve and having recently cut off Sonia for reasons that Sonia isn’t willing to tell her, and reasons Leon won’t tell Raihan.

He asked her for a dance, to continue his little tradition.

At least, that’s what everyone thought. But then he asked Mr. William for a dance, everyone stopped to watch the Champion.

William was probably humouring Leon when he accepted. Leon let himself be the ‘girl’ in the dance, since the song was something more on Charlotte’s league.

But then Leon asked Kabu for a dance. Then Milo. Then Piers. And lastly Raihan.

Kabu was also humouring Leon, while Milo and Leon seem to fall into a fun dance since the song was something known by both country born boys. Leon and Piers dance was hilarious since Piers kept stepping on his toes while Piers apologized and Leon brushed it off.

Leon and Raihan danced to a slow song. Raihan was a mess, but thankfully for him the lights were dimmed for this song. Meanwhile Leon was blindly oblivious, but Nessa can’t blame him now since he was only twelve.

The dance had ended with them in the centre of the crowd, pressed against each other and smiling.

Raihan opened his mouth to say something, that causes Leon to laugh and jokingly push him away.

From that point the two were in their own little world, laughing and talking and catching up. The two bickered and bantered in a beat that matches their battles, not easily followed by those who don’t know battle. But in this case, it’s if you don’t know either of them then you would have no idea what’s happening but it would still be something to witness.

Nessa let the two catch up, because Raihan was rarely in Galar at the time since he wasn’t offered to be Hammerlocke’s Gym Leader just yet and she’s heard of Leon’s insanely busy schedule (How Leon manages to make so many appearances for sponsors  _ plus _ going out and helping Galar’s people, and not to mention stay on top of his training routine for both him and his team, will forever be a mystery to her).

She knows how much Leon’s friendship and rivalry means to Raihan, even before he found out he had a crush on him. Leon is one of the first few close friends near his age that Raihan’s kept, since all the friends he made on his journey never stayed battle trainers or were much older than him and thus hung around with people their age.

Leon means so much to Raihan in ways that she, nor the other gym leaders, can really understand. Because all any of them see is Galar’s Unbeatable Champion, the youngest Champion to have ever been crowned, with the dream of having Galar’s trainers be the strongest in the whole world.

Leon is... ambitious. Always aiming for bigger and bigger fish. Does someone like him even have time for love?

Nessa knows she can’t stop Raihan from loving Leon, all she can do is be there for him until he realizes that Leon’s a catch too rare and out of reach.

“You okay?” She asks, after too much silence as they clear out the tunnel.

Raihan’s hand grips the stone in his hand tighter, causing it to crack a bit, “Yeah. I’m fine.” She can see him holding back the snarl in his throat but she doesn’t comment on it.

* * *

Leon doesn’t know what happened after he and Kabu started to clear the tunnel collapse. He vaguely recalls moving stones with his team, but then a surging pain shocked him into focus for a brief moment before everything went to fog as a ringing settled in his ears.

He... remembers something warm on his face, slipping down his cheek. Was he crying? Why?

Then he felt someone grab onto his face and try to talk through the ringing. He felt Charizard’s wings surrounding him, warm and firm and always familiar.

He was crowded and he’s not sure if that was helping him with whatever was happening to him.

The person in front of him seemed to notice too and got the Pokemon to leave, which helped him out a bit. Enough that he could register it as Kabu.

He tried to move but he can’t, or at least he thinks he can’t. Kabu ushered one of their Pokemon forward and Leon felt Charizard move away as his back leaned onto the other Pokemon.

A boof came to his right, close enough to pierce through the ringing. Ah, Kabu’s Arcanine.

He lets his consciousness slip in and out of focus for who knows how long until it fully fades as sleep and the horrors within it greet him.


	6. Young Love

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> basically soft Leohan because Floof

Leon dreams a mix of the time before and after the Darkest Day.

One minute he’s running away from a Gigantamax Toxtricity’s poison and lighting, then the next he’s happily watching Hop and Emcee play with their newly acquired starters...

_ He looms over Raihan’s bleeding form, a clear gash on his side— _

_ He lays his head on Raihan’s chest as he plays with his hair— _

_ Emcee and Hop run through a burning forest carrying as many Pokemon as they can— _

_ The kids zipping past him through the buffet— _

_ Mum calling them over for lunch— _

_ Amelia shouting at them to keep going and stay alive— _

_ Raihan kissing him on the lips like it's the last time he’s going to do it— _

_ His and Raihan’s first kiss, tender and afraid and everything he’s ever wanted— _

_ Charizard’s flames erupting around him like a steady comfort— _

_ Eternatus’ corrupted inferno surrounding him, suffocating him and burning his skin— _

_ Duraludon’s G-Max Depletion whipping past him as he looks through the sandstorm to see Raihan— _

_ Eternamax’s Dynamax Canon piercing th _ **_rough his chest—_ **

He snaps awake in a cold sweat, shaking and out of breath. He faintly hears someone faintly, but sharply whispers to someone, as if stopping them. He hears them start to quietly argue, one constantly interrupting the other and visa versa.

He tries to calm himself enough to take a deep breath, tapping his fingers on the side of his head... One... Two... Three... Four. He breaths out... One... Two... Three... Four.

One, two, three, four... Four, three, two, one.

He takes a breath in, then he breathes out.

His senses slowly come back to him once his heart stops racing, but his hands are still shaking. He’s pretty sure that’s not because of him waking up from a nightmare.

“Leon?” Raihan says, and his voice alone fully reminds Leon where—  _ when _ he is.

He exhales before lifting his head up, giving Raihan (and Nessa it would seem) a bright but tired smile. Showing off enough of the panic they probably just witnessed, but bright enough to let them know they need not worry about him (he knows Raihan will worry. Raihan always will).

“I’m fine, Rai,” He says, hoping that Raihan and Nessa believe him (he knows that Raihan won’t, at least. Because Raihan knows him too well).

Raihan lifts a hand to cup his face, and he can’t help his eyes fluttering shut. He also can’t help it when he nuzzles into Raihan’s palm as Raihan brushes his thumb under his eye.

On his right he can hear Nessa whispering to Kabu and Chairman Rose?!

He almost flinches from that alone but he doesn’t, because he’s tired and desperately wants to melt into a hug with his not-yet boyfriend. Thankfully he manages to hold the latter urge down, and just nuzzles against Raihan’s palm.

* * *

“Guys.”

Nessa lifts her head and leans her chair back (“Nessa don’t lean that chair like that you’re going to fall,” Kabu mutters) to look at Raihan.

“Wot?”

“Leon fell asleep again.”

She gives the others a look of confusion, before she gets up to find Raihan’s exact delema.

Leon fell asleep  _ on _ Raihan, and it seems Raihan has slowly leaned down in Leon could fully lay on his chest. Wait, when did Leon’s Dreepy get there? Wait—

“Vaporeon when did you—?”

“I don’t know when any of them appeared, Ness, help.” Raihan tries to move but upon the faint growl of— is that his Leafeon—? he stops for fear of them getting loud enough to wake the Champion.

Nessa simply stares at the sight before her. One of Dragapult’s Dreepy is asleep on Leon’s hair while the other slumbers on Raihan’s head. Her Vaporeon naps on the back of the couch, Raihan’s Leafeon and Leon’s Jolteon at the foot of the couch sandwiching Raihan’s leg between them. A few of the other Pokemon have also scattered themselves around the two.

“Is he alright, Nessa?”

She blinks, before a smirk forms on her lips, “Yeah. Everything’s fine Kabu. Raihan’s just overreacting.”

She sees him mouth something before she focuses back on the meeting.

* * *

Leon snaps awake with a sharp breath that stabs at his lungs as he lunges forward to sit up, grasping his chest in the hopes of calming his racing heart.

He’s not even sure what woke him up this time. It couldn’t have been a nightmare, since he would remember the images of a time yet to come— and will never come if he has anything to say about it— play before his eyes again. He would remember it playing before his eyes again, because Arceus knows he won’t be forgetting it anytime soon, if ever.

He takes a moment to glance around the room, hoping that finding something here would ground him.

He’s in a two bed hotel room. It has three lamps, one on the outer side of the beds, and another near the desk with the phone. There’s no TV. Neither of the bed lamps are on but the table one is. There’s Raihan’s jacket on the chair at the desk—

Wait? Raihan? But there’s two—? Oh, yeah. Right. Right... okay. Okay.

Why does he keep forgetting he’s in the past? Why? Is it because his nightmares are so clear and real that he can’t believe that he’s somewhere that isn’t an apocalyptic hellscape? Is it because he was so ready to accept the cruel reality and death that a second chance seems impossible?

**Click.**

He turns his head to the door to find Raihan sneakily closing the door in an attempt to not wake him up. When he turns, he pauses.

“Hi.”

“Hey...” Raihan mutters, before walking over and placing a bag takeaway on the table, “How are you feeling?”

“I feel like shite but other than that I’m alive, what’d I miss?”

Raihan catches him up on what he missed while he was sleeping as they eat. Leon should expect a lecture from Kabu or Rose on never having caffeine again outside of extremely mild consumption for ads. The photoshoot he, Nessa, and Raihan were suppose to work on has been rescheduled (Raihan says it was due to the weather, but he doubts that’s actually the case). He was brought to Kabu’s house since Oleana was working things out with the photoshoot being rescheduled while Kabu and Rose discussed somethings that Raihan and Nessa weren’t included in since they’re kids (Leon also knows that’s a lie because he remembers being in Kabu’s house and he knows exactly why Raihan couldn’t attend the meeting, but he’s not going to voice that for obvious reasons... Arceus is that his inner teenager talking? Oh Arceus he’s going to have to deal with that doesn’t he?). And lastly, he’s set to stay in Motostoke for a few days to discuss some sponsor contracts with Rose and Oleana.

He’s pretty sure that the next few days will be light on him since he probably gave everyone a bit of a scare with his caffeine crash.

The rest of the night goes relatively smoothly, he takes a much needed shower and also makes sure to stay hydrated because he’s been asleep for most of the day (seems those nights of simply staring emptily into the void, numb to his emotions but his brain too lost in thought to properly sleep, have finally caught up).

He and Raihan are sharing a room probably due to everyone agreeing that someone needs to make sure he gets some sleep tonight, that or Nessa suggested it to make Raihan suffer with his crush and the adults interpreted it as the latter.

He just hopes he doesn’t bother Raihan by gasping awake from a nightmare.

Though, having Raihan near always let him sleep easier. Even before It ruined everything.

* * *

Raihan snaps awake for a reason he doesn’t understand. Something just feels... wrong. But nothing is— or at least nothing  _ should _ be wrong... but then why does he hear someone whimpering?

He barely opens his eyes to look at the Champion on the bed next to his, the moonlight from the window behind him more than enough to illuminate Leon from Raihan’s angle.

The Champion’s sitting up on his bed, hands over his mouth, head hung low as he tries to muffle quivering sobs between his fingers. But Raihan notices that no tears come out.

It hurts to see his rival like this. So vulnerable and afraid and alone when he has so many people around him that would gladly help him.

But he knows Leon’s never been good at reaching out, even if it seems like he’s going to make an effort now.

“Lee?” He asks, slurring his speech to make it seem like he wasn’t already awake. He partially gets up, rubbing his eye.

“I—” Leon chokes, before he shakily inhales, “I’m okay, Rai, you can go back to sleep.”

“You don’t sound okay... do you need anything?”

“N—” Leon hesitates, briefly contemplating something before deciding that he can’t ask for that, “No. I’m fine Rairai, really. Please, go back to sleep.”

“Are you sure, Dandelion?”

He sees Leon swallow, before turning to him with tearful eyes, “Can I— Can I get a hug?”

“Of course,” He whispers, before quietly moving to sit on Leon’s bed before the Champion pulls him into a fierce hug, burying his face in Raihan’s chest. Raihan places a hand to rub Leon’s back while the other pets his hair. “There, there...”

Eventually, Leon moves to bury his face in Raihan’s shoulder and he doesn’t know who pulls them down to lie on the bed but they do.

Once Leon’s calmed down enough, Raihan asks, “Do you want to talk about it, Leo?”

Leon shakes his head, muttering a faint, “No.” Raihan sighs before moving to go back to sleep— “Stay.”

“What?”

“Stay... please?” Fuck Leon’s looking at him with those doe eyes of his, looking too cute to resist.

“Okay.” He will definitely regret this in a morning but dammit Leon needs him and who is he to deny their Champion?

(He can  _ hear _ Nessa and Piers roasting him in the back of his mind, telling him he’s utterly and hopelessly in love with Leon. And he’s okay with that.)

* * *

Leon falls asleep surrounded by Raihan’s arms and comfort. It’s been almost a week since he came back and he’s already desperately missing Raihan’s touch, his kisses, his love.

He knows he has Raihan’s heart already, but he’s afraid of losing it by changing things. But then again, Raihan still loved him even when Leon would constantly run himself into the ground and be so busy that Raihan would go months without having proper time with him. Raihan stayed when Leon was barely there, and he stayed when Raihan was halfway across the world.

He tells the doubt in his mind to shut up and let him have this. Let him have this moment with the man he loves before he can properly win his heart.

Step 1 of the smaller changes - get together with Raihan sooner.

He drifts off and has the best night of sleep he’s had since coming back (his first day home being second).

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this is my aprils fools joke, editing the publish date to today (original date was 03/29/2020)


	7. Fun & Games & Friendship

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Leon realizes that he's one of the most socially awkward people in the League when he's not using his Champion Persona
> 
> He also realizes that he honestly gives little fucks about his whole Perfect Champion Image

Leon’s day started like this. He woke up to Raihan’s adorably flustered face, but he couldn’t savour it due to Nessa furiously cursing at them through the door.

He got up to get ready for the day while Raihan delt with Nessa (to be more accurate, he realized that he fell asleep with Raihan in his arms and promptly fell out of bed in a panic before rushing into the bathroom with the excuse that he was going to take a shower).

His schedule was pretty simple, several meetings with his various sponsors alongside the Chairman and Oleana before lunch.

Those meetings went as smoothly as it could, a few dropped him but he doubts they’ll stay away for long.

At lunch Oleana and Rose gave him some potential future sponsors, most of the contracts were already filtered out by Rose, Oleana, Charlotte, and William. They just need Leon’s final signature to confirm him working with the brand.

(He almost spat his drink out when he saw a familiar brand that does skincare products, but it has a budding sister company that he did a few product reviews on and... He doesn’t mind working with them again, but he’ll need to further read this contract. How it got past  _ four _ people is a mystery, especially since this contract opens him up to working with the sister company in the future.)

Now he has training with Kabu... he rarely ever trained with other people, maybe Sonia when they were in the Isle, and Raihan. But he’s always trained alone— well, not alone alone of course, he has his team with him after all.

How... does one approach this? He feels silly for asking himself that, but it applies heavily when he’s not training with Raihan or Mustard. He  _ wants _ to get closer with the other Gym Leaders, but where does he start?

* * *

Kabu’s been a Gym Leader for years, he’s been around so many anxious and shy children in his time as one. Especially during the year Hedy took his spot in the major League (it was her first year as Gym Leader, he got the position after she was offered it. He just so happen to be strong enough to beat Kabu and take the man’s slot as a Major League Gym Leader. Thankfully for Kabu, the twelve year old Bug user wasn’t too interested in staying a Major League Gym Leader).

He’s met people who always had something they wanted to say at the tip of their tongue, before their nerves pulled it back. People who had their words stuck in their throats, desperately wanting to spit it out but never mustering up the courage to do it.

Kabu made sure to be patient and calm and kind to each of those people, waiting until they said it. It would sometimes work, other times he’d need to gently coax it out of them. While some would just clam up and he would immediately step away, giving them their space, but reassuring them that they did no wrong.

Kabu saw it in Sonia, Milo, Piers, Gordie, and even Nessa and Raihan. But never Leon.

Leon, everytime Kabu saw him, was confident and sure. Never faltering, unless it was his sense of direction, but even then he always sounded so sure. Galar’s Undefeated Ace during his Gym Challenge, now their still Undefeated Champion was always confident, sure, and strong. Never stuttering or tripping over himself, at least to the eyes of the public.

Kabu believes that lie, as does Melony, William, Charlotte, Opal, Nessa, Milo, Piers, and really all of Galar.

But he’s starting to see past that illusion, because Leon has had this look in his eyes since they started training. Like he wants to say something but can’t get it out, not finding the words without it coming out wrong.

Kabu sees doubt, hesitants, fear, and shame in their young Champion. How can he get such a clear read on their Champion when even Opal had trouble back when the boy was still on his Gym Challenge?

Leon’s Ninetales nudges him, he looks down at him (“Winter,” Leon had call him).

Winter nudges him again, before pointing his snout to his trainer. Leon’s waiting for his Volcarona and Rhyperior to get into place to practice something, that look in his eyes is back.

The longer Kabu looks at it, a memory flickers in his head. Amelia’s had that look on her before, many times.

He remembers that Melony would catch her with that look and then invite her for one of their group get togethers.

Oh.

* * *

“Hey.” Leon jumps when a firm but gentle hand lands on his shoulder. “Melony’s planning to have a small brunch meeting with a few of the other Gym Leaders, nothing official, it’s just so we all keep updated on personal matters and its nice to get together every now and then outside of League business. It’s this weekend, would you want to join us?”

Ah, he remembers Raihan mentioning these before they started dating. After they did, he tried to get Leon to come to one. They were fun, though he could never long but it was nice getting to talk to the others outside of work.

“I— Um, sure. It depends on my schedule. I haven’t checked since this morning but I think I can.”

Kabu hums, satisfied with the answer, before turning to where Rhyperior and Volcarona were practicing, “You know that species found only in the Isle are no longer allowed on Galar proper since they’ve been closed off, so why do you still have Volcarona?”

He shrugs, “I have a few other Pokemon that are native to the Isle and the Tundra, most of them are living with Mustard due that law from a few years back. I’ll have to put her in with them at some point, but I’m going to enjoy having her here while I can.”

Kabu nods, “So, what are you training with Volcarona and Rhyperior?”

“Oh! I’m training her to increase her dodge speed and for Charger to increase the speed with launching his attacks quicker and more accurately on moving targets. I— What about you?”

“I’m trying to learn a tactic I saw a trainer with a Slugma use when I was a lad.”

Leon perks up, “Oh?”

“It’s a particularly interesting application of Will-O-Wisp, want me to show you?”

“Yes!”

“Alright, let’s go over there...”

He misses the smirk on Kabu’s face.

(Hours after Kabu almost roasts him alive, he realizes that Kabu was trying to bond with him but doesn’t know how.

To be fair, neither does he.

Fuck. Why are the two most awkward people in the League paired together? Why did the fates align him to try and befriend Kabu first?)

* * *

Kabu knows Amelia will murder him for lightly lighting her son on fire, but he swears it was an accident and that Leon’s fine and unharmed.

Even then, the result from that was worth the risk. He got Leon to ease up.

He’s not the best conversationalist, he knows this. Hedy has told him numerous times, but he’s figured that loosening up himself helps others relax easier around him.

So he causes a bit of mischief, to which Leon retaliates in kind and their training has somehow turned into a snowball fight (apparently Winter’s ability is Snow Warning? Strange, why did Leon never use that ability in any of the battle he brought him to).

Leon’s Rhyperior and Milotic have decided to side with Kabu, while both of their Ninetales take the neutral ground and supply both sides with more ammunition with Leon’s Mr. Rime.

They play like that for who knows how long but it doesn’t matter because they’re both having fun.

(It registers in the back of his head during this that Leon was given the responsibilities of being Champion at ten years old. He’s only a child. A child cheated out of his childhood due to the fame his natural talent and success gave him.

Kabu swears he’ll make sure Leon gets every chance he can to act his age— maybe even a bit younger— because Leon deserves to have a childhood as much as the other Leaders do.)

* * *

Their little game ends with Kabu dive bombing him from behind with the biggest snowball he can make and carry and use without seriously injurying him.

He may or may not have elbowed Kabu in the face after the fact.

After they clean up and change into dry clothes, Kabu takes him and his team out to dinner at a Hoennese barbeque place.

It’s nice. It’s fun. It’s something  _ normal _ yet something  _ not _ normal. It feels easier to talk to Kabu. They really broke the ice with that game, he hopes its easier to get through to the others. He  _ knows _ he and Milo have a fair amount to bond on due to their similar backgrounds, and Charlotte and William will be an interesting case since he hadn’t heard much from them after they retired but he’s more comfortable with them compared to the other Gym Leaders at this point in the timeline.

Of course, during their meal, there are fans asking for autographs, there always will be until he’s completely faded from the public eye.

One of them asks for a selfie with him and Kabu which they gladly accept, with guess appearances from their Ninetales.

(He doesn’t miss how the fans swooning when he gives them a Champion Smile, a part of him is tempted to throw in a wink just to see what happens. Arceus he’s acting like Raihan— is that why Raihan always winked and flirted with fans? Hm...)

After that first pair of fans asked for pictures, it just kept going until actually paparazzi came in to try and snag an interview with them. Thankfully the restaurant staff shoos them away soon enough.

_ “Thank you, sorry for the inconvenience,” _ Kabu says, switching to Hoenn-Ben probably due to preference of himself or for the owner of the restaurant, Leon doesn’t know.

_ “No problem, it must be difficult being a celebrity,” _ The owner, a short stocky woman with forest green hair, mutters back to him.

Leon wants to give his thanks too, but he’s still taking pictures with a few more fans who also want pictures with some of his team. One of them’s taking a selfie with him and his team behind them.

He makes sure to smile for the camera, but he gives them a different kind of smile. Instead of the bright, toothy grin he usually gives, he gives them a half-lidded smile, his smile and gaze are still kind but he makes sure there’s an edge to it.

The fan takes the picture just as they realize the look he’s giving the camera. They turn to see it for themselves but by then he’s back to giving people his camera ready smile.

But he  _ knows _ more than one person had their eyes— and cameras— on him, so that picture was definitely caught and will be spread all over his feed within the next half an hour.

After that the fans swarming him all have a more noticeable blush on their cheeks. He hands a guy back his notebook, now with his autograph, with a wink and sees the poor guy trip on nothing while standing.

He wonders if  _ that _ will make it to the internet, it probably will. Several fans saw him do it and are probably tucking that memory into their brains.

A part of him wants to keep this up, to see if this pushes Raihan to confessing sooner. But the more rational part of his brain— more accurately, the part of his brain that cares deeply about a public image he’s been maintaining for  ten five years— tells him not to. Not until he’s seen how the public and press react to it.

They can blame it on him being a teenager and changing. They could see it as him “revealing a new side to them.” They could say its an act of rebellion against his perfect Champion Persona. Hell, they’ll probably say he’s doing it to cause a scene and get attention during the off season.

Frankly, he doesn’t care. He still cares for his reputation, sure, but he isn’t playing Galar’s Perfect Little Champion anymore. If he’s going to continue being Champion, he’s doing it in a way that doesn’t sacrifice his soul or his goals.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> FINALLY
> 
> I hope yall are doing well, this Quarantine has done the opposite to my writing energies because they've decided to take a vacation. Along with my general work energies, because I'm terribly behind on most school work! :D !
> 
> Yall know the drill, stay inside, wash your hands, and so on and so on.
> 
> Next Chapter might include a timeskip!


	8. Brunch

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Waffles

To say that Raihan was freaking out was an understatement. He was having a full blown crisis and his new Gym Trainers will not let him live it down.

He saw the picture— or rather the various pictures, all from the same time frame just in many,  _ many _ different angles— of Leon giving the camera a borderline sultry but a kind and sort of  _ arrogant _ look. It made— and still currently is making— all of Chitter, and probably many other corners of the internet, go nuts. Because they’ve never seen Leon make a face like that before.

Sure, Leon’s looked confident before, but it was always so kind and soft and pure and innocent. This? This had a sort of sharp edge to it, like something dark and unknown looming underneath the surface. It’s... the same kind of edge he’s seen in their recent battles. The kind that sends a jolt of excitement through his body like the look Leon gives him before they turn to go off to their end of the pitch.

Except this look had something borderline  _ teasing _ about it. As if Leon was luring or taunting whoever was going to look at him right in the eye to find out what exactly that edge is.

Raihan’s sure he’s not the only one who would happily let himself get lured in, and that makes something ugly flare in his gut. It only burns hotter when he remembers that these pictures are all up online for the whole world to see, and more importantly that Leon did that for a  _ fan, _ unprompted too.

He texts Leon before he even processes what he’s doing.

**Raihan:** So what was with that picture, mate?

**Dandelion:** Oh nothing, just wanted to spice things up a bit with fan pictures, you know?

His eye twitches.

**Raihan:** Have you seen the Chits about it?

**Raihan:** Your fans are all freaking out over this

**Dandelion:** I’ve seen it lol

**Dandelion:** And my fans all freaked out when I post a picture of me eating curry, so that’s nothing out of the ordinary

That’s true. But it was a  _ cute as hell _ picture he posted of him eating curry. Raihan would know because he has that picture saved on his gallery.

**Dandelion:** Why are you freaking out so much? You usually don’t mind when my fans do this, what’s different?

He starts typing out a response but then realizes that might make it too obvious as to exactly why he’s freaking out over this. He can’t risk telling him because something changed with Leon two weeks ago and he doesn’t know what to expect from their Champion after it happened..

**Raihan:** It’s nothing

**Dandelion:** Ok

He doesn’t reply, and Leon doesn’t add on for ten minutes as he continues scrolling through his feed to see more fans screaming over the photo. Some of the comments are... things that Raihan wished he didn’t read, but he’s guilty of the same emotions for their Champion ever since he hit puberty.

Having pushed that conversation to the back of his head.

Until Leon texts him again.

**Dandelion:** Hey, Han?

Fuckfuckfuckfuck. What does he say? What does he say??

**Dandelion:** What’d  _ you _ think of those photos? Do you think it was too much? I’m... trying to loosen up about the whole... perfect champion thing and...

Fuckfuckfuckfuckfuck. He doesn’t know how to process this. What does he say? What does he  _ want _ to say? What would Leon like to hear? He doesn’t respond for a good five minutes before Leon’s already typing again.

**Dandelion:** Sorry, that was weird and you’re probably busy

**Dandelion:** I’ll see you at the photoshoot with Nessa in a week, sorry for making things awkward

Fuck.

“Fuck.” 

* * *

Leon flops onto bed, defeated. Part of his brain chastises him for texting Raihan again.

This Raihan isn’t the same one. He knows that. This Raihan hasn’t dated a couple of people despite his heart still belonging to their Champion. This Raihan doesn’t have the same amount of experience as the one he knows.

Why did he think that trying to tease a reaction out of this Raihan would work?

He groans into his pillow, his heart aching for some comfort but knowing that those who can give it to him won’t understand it enough.

It seems that won’t stop them from trying though, because Jolteon and Ninetales pop themselves out of their Pokeballs upon sensing his distress. They place themselves by his side— Well, Sparks does while Winter decides to lay on his back.

After twenty minutes, Winter gets off his back at some point and he finally decides to check his phone again.

No response.

Jolteon whines next to him and he places his phone down on the bedside table and decides to try and sleep. Ninetales flicks the lights off before curling up behind him. It’s one of the few nights where he’s gotten a dreamless sleep in the less than two weeks he’s been back.

* * *

Leon sends Sunshine to the Isle under Mustard’s care two days later, forgetting that their time together was a lot shorter than he anticipated. It doesn’t feel too different from what he remembered in years past so the experience barely weighs on him until he sees his Pokemon saddened by the departure still a few days later and he comforts them before his feelings on it sink in.

One less friend by his side, but at least she’s not dead. She’s alive and well. But he can’t say that to his team, so all he does is cuddle with them that night in his cold and empty Wyndon house, which feels a lot colder than it ever has since he first entered it.

When he’s drifting off to sleep, surrounded by his team, he remembers that neither Rose nor Oleana talked to him about that photo in the past few days. Strange.

Actually, the days before his brunch with Kabu and the others they don’t say anything about the picture. All he gets is a mild comment on the day of.

“The Chairman said to wait a bit more to get a more accurate read on the public’s reaction before we decide what to do about the chaos caused by that picture,” Oleana informed him in passing.

“Alright, thank you.”

* * *

“So is this everyone?” Raihan asks, taking a seat next to Kabu.

“No, Kabu invited someone else,” Melony informs, looking a bit more frazzled than normal. He’s afraid to find out what made the Ice Type Gym Leader lose her cool, but also really excited to find out.

“I don’t think he’ll come here on time so we can get started without him.” Wait’s who’s him?

“Oh come on now! We’re all here early, so we can wait a bit more for him!” Charlotte protests, earning a small nod from William and Melony. 

“Who??? Who else is coming?” Raihan knows Piers is taking Marnie around Hammerlocke, Nessa’s training, meanwhile Milo’s with his family doing some business in Motostoke.

William blinks at him, “Did no one tell you?”

No??? Who else could they be expecting? Everyone else is busy so who else could they invite except— No— No way—

“Hey guys!” Fuck shit nonononono. “Am I late?”

“No, Leon, you’re actually right on time,” Kabu reassures, before Leon sighs and takes a seat next to Raihan.

Raihan.exe has stopped working.

* * *

William is someone more attune with people than most give him credit for. So he noticed how Raihan tensed when Leon appeared and sat next to him.

He has two conclusions as to why Raihan’s freaking out, either Raihan’s crush is getting that bad, or something happened between them and Raihan doesn’t know how to approach Leon after it. Regardless, he’s pretty sure the photo has something to do with it.

He and Raihan lock eyes, at which he raises an eyebrow at him, before Charlotte kindly points at Leon (who’s looking keenly at the menu with Snowball) with a smirk on her face.

Raihan sputters before covering his mouth in a panic as Melony laughs lightly behind her fingers and Kabu pats the poor boy on the shoulder.

Ah, love. Such a wonderful thing. It makes even the smartest of people go stupid and throw all their grace out the wndow.

When Leon sits back up to order, Raihan hides his face behind the menu.

“Huh? Raihan I thought you already knew what your order was.”

As Raihan pitifully tried to come up with an excuse, William and the others simply watched on, amused. Leon simply looks at Raihan with bright eyes and a confused smile (Charlotte will later tell him that she’s pretty sure that Leon knew exactly why Raihan was so flustered) before the waitress comes in and takes their orders.

* * *

Brunch with the adult Gym Leaders is nice. Leon got to know Melony a bit better during her bitchfest over Gordie being back because he was offered to be Galar’s Rock Type Gym Leader. She’s still very salty about him training rock types over ice types.

(It clicks in the back of his head that there was a mini-civil war in Circhester because of those two before they reunited to find <Melony’s Husband/Gordie’s dad> in the Crown Tundra. Apparently he wanted to get them both an Amaura so they could bond by taking care of them. He came out unsuccessful but the search for him was more than enough to reunite his family)

Charlotte is still the same as ever, bright, bubbly, and a bit manic with her hidden edge of intelligence. William is also the same, serious poise softening a bit around friends.

Kabu’s more mischievous than he expected, even though he  _ should _ expect it after the man almost burnt his hair off. But when it comes down to it Kabu is a good man, and an amazing mentor. He’s keeping an eye on Milo and Nessa settling into their roles as Gym Leaders and worries like a parent would for a child. He also frets a bit over Raihan and Piers before Raihan reminds him that Piers still has his predecessor and Raihan has the most support from League Staff due to his location.

Actually, if Leon remembers correctly Raihan talked about Kabu being the unofficial dad to most of the Gym Leaders. Despite most of them still having fathers.

Meanwhile with Raihan... well he hasn’t made much of an attempt to talk to Leon or even look at him... did he do something wrong? Is Raihan still upset over that photo? The text?

_ He’s freaking out over the picture still! He has a crush on you remember! He would never be mad! _

_ But what if he is though??? What if he thinks— _

_ Shush! _

Leon takes a moment after those thoughts entered his head to figure out exactly what the fuck just happened in his brain. Are the emotions of this teenage body and brain plus his trauma and guilt and heartache bringing back his feeling of unworthiness to have Raihan?

If it is, then oh dear.

For now he’s going to push that worry down to focus on the brunch. Charlotte’s going off on some empty rant about how someone tried to stop her from having a race with some trainers through a route while William lovingly points out the flaws in her argument, that he’s pretty sure will devolve into a cute couple jab session.

Winter tries to steal his waffle in a jump attack but he’s more than attune with his thought process that he leaps back to save his waffle, only for Winter to land in his and Raihan’s lap, the latter screaming in surprise.

“Win—”

“My waffle!”

In his attempt to save his own waffle, Winter has now eaten Raihan’s. Dammit Snowball. There’s now syrup in his hair.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If this looked a bit familiar that's probably because you read the original chapter 8
> 
> I used a part of that for this chapter but included the brunch scene, Chapter 9 will have something similar where a section of the original chapter 8 is there but changed to fit my rough words per chapter
> 
> If you're from the future and have no idea what I'm taking about, don't worry about it


	9. The Skip

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Leon makes not one! But two (2)! New friends this chapter!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ...
> 
> ...
> 
> *adds Slow Burn tag*
> 
> :3

The following month after that brunch passes by in a blur, with very few things feeling like they really stand out to his mind in comparison to the memories of the other timeline.

Kabu talks to him with a bit more ease and they sometimes don’t even talk about work, they just talk like friends. It’s nice.

What’s not nice is that Raihan’s been avoiding him more. He doesn’t remember this happening at all at anypoint, even when Raihan’s crush was at its peak, it never made him want to not be around Leon. It... hurts. But he tries not to dwell on that in favour of focusing on other things.

Chairman Rose talks about the Rotom Phone concept, and most of the Rotom are almost done with their training. Leon can’t wait to get his Rotom back, he missed the little guy and the help it provided. He knows the Shiny Rotom the Chairman mentions will go to Raihan, because those two have complementing personalities.

Leon usually tunes out that talk because he already knows most of the things coming out of Rose’s mouth and the information just refreshes what he already knows.

The one scene of a difference between the norm that he registers completely is a particular conversation with Rose and Nessa during another photoshoot.

“Your potential future as a model is looking bright, as is your current standing as a Gym Leader... being both must keep you busy.”

“What do you mean by that, sir?”

“Nothing, really. But how exactly how high you’ll reach with both of these careers, is up to you.”

Leon watched Rose leave, and once he was out of sight he caught the flare of rage in Nessa’s eyes and form.

He wanted to help, but doesn’t know how without sounding... patronising. It seems that Sparks knew this and went up to her Vaporeon to play for a bit, meanwhile his Milotic kept nudging him. As if telling him to go talk to her.

His Pokemon are just as stubborn as him, whether they got it from him, he got it from them, or they were just attracted to each other because of that, he eventually caved and went over to her.

“Hi.”

“Hello.”

He had no idea what to say. Well, he did but he knows it would be weird to say it considering how well they know each other.

“You’ve been working with the Chairman since before you even became the Champion, correct?”

“I— Uh, what? Um, yeah, kinda? He endorsed me and Sonia for our Gym Challenge, but outside of that he didn’t really ask anything of us outside of doing our best.”

“But you know him closely, right?”

“Closely enough.”

“I... What does he mean to imply by how high I’ll reach by being both a model and a Gym Leader? Is he telling me to pick one over the other?”

He took a moment to respond, before finally deciding, “No. Not really or intentionally anyway. I think he said that to try and sort of goad you into doing your absolute best in both careers at the same time. You don’t  _ have _ to choose one or the other if both make you happy. I mean, a good example would be Milotic. They’re strong and they’re beautiful, you can be both like them.”

“That sounds like something Sonia would say. Are you trying to flirt with me, Mr. Champion?”

He rolled his eyes, before it clicked what Nessa just said, “Depends, is that what  _ Sonia _ does to you?”

Nessa proceeded to choke on her water while smacking him with her arm as he laughed. After that they just started to banter casually, sometimes about battling, sometimes about life.

At some point, during their last break before the shoot was supposed to end, she pulled him aside and asked, “So were you actually trying to flirt with me earlier or...?”

“No! No, I wasn’t. I mean, you are beautiful but I wasn’t and am still not trying to flirt with you.”

“Okay,” She sighed in relief, “Okay, that’s good because I’m not at all interested in men and I wasn’t sure about you, really.”

“I am interested in both men and women, but I already have my eye on someone.”

Nessa raised an eyebrow at him, “Oh? And who would that be, Mr. Unbeatable?”

He gave her the same smirk he did to that fan a few weeks back, before walking away without another word.

After that photoshoot, fun banter with Nessa also became a staple when they were in the same place. It was nice having a friend close his age outside of Raihan. Nessa is blunt and takes no shit except her own, she’s just as determined as him and Raihan but the only reason she never made it up to their league is because her heart belonged to other passions. By the time she decided to pursue both with the same determination, it was already the end of it all.

He wonders how he’ll befriend Piers, Milo, and Gordie at this point. If it’ll just happen or if the fates decided to say fuck you in particular. He wants to at least have  _ some _ sort of choice in befriending Piers.

* * *

That opportunity comes in Nessa— not Raihan— inviting him to a training session in Hammerlocke once he was done with his work that day.

It totally didn’t hurt that it was  _ Nessa _ who invited him to train in  _ Hammerlocke _ instead of, you know, the  _ Hammerlocke Gym Leader, his true rival and best friend  _ Raihan.

But at least that gave him the chance to befriend Piers.

Leon and Piers were already somewhat well-acquainted because Piers was Raihan’s friend and their cities were close enough to each other that meeting up wasn’t much of an issue. Contrary to what most would think, Piers and Leon got along really well, probably even better than Raihan did with the singer back in the fallen timeline.

So it wasn’t hard for him and Piers to click, mainly because Piers can be just as chatty as he can be when excited for a battle, but not enough to risk his strategy being exposed because it's training. All it took was them teaming up to battle against Nessa and Raihan, and for both of them to say the same quip for them to immediately pack bond.

Banter with Piers was something else, it was like a good battle. It always kept him on his toes and alert, it’s fun and exciting.

Piers has a sharp silver tongue with battle skill to match. There’s a reason he’s Galar’s 7th Gym Leader, he easily could’ve been the 8th had he chosen to Dynamax, but Piers is not someone for the flashy aesthetics of it. Especially since it limits him to bringing out his ace last instead of when he sees fit. It makes battling Piers an interesting challenge and a sight to watch.

Training goes by smoothly enough, training his team to strategies and tactics he would’ve developed further down the line now to get them more adjusted to it when It comes.

* * *

Raihan’s been planning this for three weeks with the consultation of Melony, Charlotte, and William, and the appreciated but rude support from Nessa, Piers, and his new Gym Trainers (why did he hire classmates?). He’s going to do it. He’s going to ask Leon out on a date.

Considering how much free time Leon has had in the past month alone, he doesn’t think this could’ve ever been possible where the stars aligned to land perfectly when Raihan’s feeling confident enough to say “fuck it” and ask Leon out, and Leon has free time so they can have a date, and during a point in the year where neither of them are too busy.

He made sure to triple check Leon’s schedule through Nessa, Kabu, and William. He made sure to quadruple check his own schedule so he’s sure that he and Leon are both free on the same days.

(Sebastian and Nessa, throughout the process, just told him to ask him straight up and they’ll figure out a date together. But at least Camellia was a bit supportive while Piers and Aria were happily sitting back to watch the chaos unfold. So he’s going through with his plan,  _ Nessa. _ )

After a day of training, avoiding Leon, and trying to avoid  _ too _ many lectures from his friends and coworkers. He’s been so anxious about asking that he’s been avoiding Leon for a while, hell, even now he’s still anxious... That’s probably why some of them have been glaring at him and trying to yell at him, actually. Whoops.

He approaches Leon, “Hey, Leo.” Leon turns to give him that dazzling smile that’s like his Champion Smile but there’s this pretty glitter in his eyes and it’s less toothy and more real. It makes his heart skip a beat. “Can we go somewhere private? I wanna ask you something...”

“Sure, I was planning to go see the garden, so let’s talk there.”

They walk through the halls and Raihan makes sure to take the scenic route to prolong his time with Leon and to give Piers, Nessa, and Charlotte enough time to get to the garden and find a hiding spot. Because Piers and Nessa were absolutely eager to watch this go down, and so they can get footage of him wussing out which he  _ won’t. _

He and Leon don’t talk much, just enjoying each other’s company. But then Leon suddenly stops.

Raihan turns to look at him to find his face scrunched up in confusion.  _ Adorable. _

“Why are we taking this route?” He tries to not look at Leon when he asks because he probably looks like a lovesick fool.

“Because it’s faster.” Leon doesn’t know how to get to his house from Wedgehurst station, he definitely wouldn’t know what route gets him to places faster or slower. Especially in Hammerlocke  _ castle. _

“No it isn’t.” Leon sounds so sure, and for a second Raihan’s a bit scared that Leon’s caught on that something’s up.  _ Why wouldn’t he you’ve been avoiding him for weeks! _ His traitorous mind supplies.

“Y- Yes, is it.” Leon meets his gaze and his eyes are almost piercing, it's the look he has after Raihan’s managed to knock out one of his Pokemon. It's cold, it’s calculating, but underlined with a furious edge that sends a shiver up his spine.

“No, it isn’t.” He tries to hold back a flinch at the sharpness in Leon’s tone, but Leon notices it and his sharp stare softens into mischief with a cocky smirk. Leon  _ never _ looks cocky, maybe a bit overconfident but never cocky. Why is it making his heart beat faster?

“Wanna race there then?” Those eyes flare up the way they do before a battle, bright and childlike and pure. It’s adorable that even after five years of being Champion, his competitive nature has not been dulled.

“You’re on.”

“Great! See ya there!”

“Not if I get there first!”

Raihan starts running, and due to having longer legs he easily surpasses Leon. When he turns around he finds the Champion gone.

Fuck.

_ Fuck. _

_ FUCK! _

_ Okay, okay, okay. Raihan. Breathe. First, you need to text the others that this plan might be a bust, then you can find Leon. He shouldn’t have gotten  _ **_too_ ** _ far... Hopefully. _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If this Chapter looks familiar, that's because a part of this was part of the original Chapter 8. Some parts were rewritten and others were left untouched
> 
> For those of you in the future reading this, don't mind me!
> 
> Also yes the Nessa bit is based/inspired by the Twilight Wings episode on her.


	10. The Lover's Support

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> We ain't at the garden yet kiddos! :)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> original post date May 10th, 2020

Piers’ heart was beating wildly in his chest as the sudden spike of adrenaline and panic shot through him.

Raihan had texted him and the others to abort with their plan to watch because Leon was going to try and make it to the garden on his own and he didn’t want to risk them being spotted.

He and Nessa were quick to dismiss it, because Leon’s more likely to take longer to get to the garden because of his hopeless sense of direction (though, Charlotte was doubtful for reasons neither teenager could understand).

But then he and Nessa turned the corner to head down to the garden only to turn the fuck around the moment they saw Leon. Sitting there. On the bench. On his phone idly waiting for Raihan, occasionally looking up to look around to see if Raihan was coming.

How the  _ fuck _ did Leon get here before them?! They were two minutes away from the garden when Raihan texted them that Leon and him decided to race, and according to Raihan they were a good ten minutes away from the garden even  _ if _ Leon managed to find a faster route.

How the hell did Leon find his way here so fast?!

Piers doesn’t know the Champion too well, at least not personally. He’s heard a lot from Raihan, especially after he found out about the dragon tamer’s crush on him. Oh the many nights of lovesick rants he and Nessa had to endure.

Piers knows that Leon has a little brother, a year younger than Marnie. Given that Leon has a lot more free time now, and considering they’ve bonded in today’s training, he’ll ask if they could have a little sibling playdate. Because Marnie needs friends outside of Spikemuth and friends much closer to her age.

He knows that Leon has no friends outside of Raihan, well, until as of recently anyway. He knows that Leon’s schedule wass utter hell. The only person he has shows any vulnerability to that Piers knows of for sure is Raihan, because that idiot sometimes appears in Hammerlocke off schedule to pass out in Raihan’s arms because he trusts him to make an alibi and to not tell the adults. It’s one of the many things Raihan has vented to them, and its the one thing they won’t give him flake for venting about.

Piers understands where Leon’s coming from, sort of. Leon takes on more than he can handle. He’s a naturally gifted, talented kid, who still works his ass off to stay on top of his game even when he’s already at the top. He has high expectations for himself unknowingly started because of the deep praise people gave him. He feels the need to stay true to his Perfect Strong Unbeatable Champion persona, even to Rose who knows that Leon’s just a regular kid.

Piers understands their Champion so well because he hears about him through someone who understands him the most out of anyone. Raihan.

* * *

To say Nessa was panicking was an understatement. She knew via Sonia that Leon  _ never _ gets to where he needs to without getting severely lost. How he got to the garden before them is utterly baffling, but it was utterly  _ terrifying _ because he almost saw them after they said they would be going home after training, you know, like liars.

Piers was shaking like a leaf next to her while she had a death grip on his sleeve, but somehow Charlotte managed to stay calm.

It all started out very simply. Raihan had gotten the general rhythm of Leon’s new schedule, meaning that everything would line up so Raihan couldn’t use the excuse that Leon was busy as a reason not to ask him out yet. He had gushed over Leon’s increased free time with her and Piers enough that they both mutually decided to start goading him to  _ finally _ asking Leon out.

After a week of prodding, Raihan caved and started to ask people for advice and started to meticulously plan asking Leon out, the date itself, and how to handle the potential rejection.

Her encounters after that photoshoot with Leon proved interesting, because she got to know him more outside of his title. She noticed that his only friends were his Pokemon, Raihan, and Sonia [actually, Sonia is a strange one considering that Leon rarely talks to her anymore]. He needed a friend that wasn’t his rival at some point, and Nessa was more than happy to be one.

The many conversations with Leon always taught her something new about their Champion. But something always stood out to her that she couldn’t help but bring it up again during a brunch meetup.

“Hey, Leon?”

“Hm? Yeah, Ness, what is it?” He’d taken to calling her Ness relatively quickly into their friendship, but she can’t say she minds.

“What did you mean when you said you had your eye on someone?”

“What do you mean?”

“During that photoshoot, the one where I thought Rose was being a trickass bitch. When I asked if you were flirting with me, you said that you had your eye on someone.”

Leon blinked a few times before he blushed, “Oh— Oh, that. I... yeah. What about that?”

“Who is it?” She leaned in closer, in the space that would be considered someone’s personal bubble but Leon gave hugs and physical affection so freely that his bubble might be smaller than most. “Who caught your eye, Champion?”

Leon blushed an even darker red at her piercing gaze, stuttering the start of several sentences that he never says before going silent.

Thankfully for Leon, his Jolteon decided it to be the perfect moment to try and steal Leon’s chocolate chip pancake and Leon had to stop him from inhaling the whole thing.

She never really got her answer because Leon kept avoiding the topic for the rest of their brunch, and for a moment she was afraid that Leon had an eye on Sonia.

But then she invited him to training in Hammerlocke, and he looked so happy before suddenly looking upset before switching to neutral happiness. He was probably upset that it wasn’t Raihan who invited him, it also doesn’t help that Raihan has been avoiding Leon.

During training, she watched Leon constantly try to have conversations that lasted more than half a minute with Raihan, only for Raihan to find an excuse to bail out on the conversation. He missed how quickly Leon’s blindingly bright smile faded to something utterly heartbroken, like a kicked Yamper.

* * *

Charlotte wasn’t freaking out as much as her younger companions for several reasons.

One, contrary to popular belief Leon isn’t hopeless with directions. His thoughts just wander and that causes him to physically wander as well, and by the time he focuses again he’s too lost to really know where to go.

Two, when Leon sets his mind to something, like winning a race between who can get to somewhere faster, he does it and often surprises the people around him. It's what started his winning streak on his Gym Challenge that extended to his reign as Champion.

Three, she knows Leon better than most outside of Raihan because she makes sure she’s approachable to anyone and everyone. Even if Leon has to be perfect for everyone, she constantly reminds him that he doesn’t need to for her or William. 

And the fourth and final reason is because of her title as the Manic Energetic Psychic Type User, she’s crazy, spontaneous, and completely unpredictable. She expects the unexpected with all of her opponents, even more so with their Champion because that’s what won him his crown. She can predict his regular actions a bit better than Raihan, but in battle Raihan can read him like a book to the point that every battle is just them making a new tune to dance to together.

But she won’t say that to the kids, no way, she has an image to keep. So she waits for Piers and Nessa to calm down enough that they won’t potentially screech when she touches them.

Once they’re calm enough, she taps both of them on the arm and gestures to where they came from. They nod and take their leave, while she sends a quick text, tailing behind them.

**Charlotte:** Leon’s already here, so good luck Raihan!

**Baby Dragon:** 👍

* * *

Leon’s not dumb, a bit dense maybe, but not dumb. He knew something was up during training. He knew Raihan was staring at him, or at least he’s pretty sure he was (he might be doubting his synergy with Raihan, he’s in tune to _his_ Raihan not this Raihan. _But you are,_ he can’t tell if it's the memories or his traitorous heart telling him that. He doesn’t want to risk hoping).

He’s noticed Raihan avoiding him for the past few weeks, and even during training, talking to him for barely a minute before rushing off somewhere— _and he calls me the impatient one—_ to talk to the others. It was fine during training, because he had Piers and Nessa to talk to.

Sometimes, when he’s talking with the others, he notices Raihan staring off somewhere with this look on his face when he’s thinking too hard about something and oh how Leon wants to kiss his pretty face senseless to stop his worrying.

But he can’t. He doesn’t want to scare Raihan off. But he _knows_ Raihan loves him back. So why is he so scared of flirting back? _Because you don’t want to ruin your friendship with him._

_But it won’t._

_But what if it does though._

His old doubts from before he and Raihan got together have resurfaced with a renewed fury, probably because he remembers and feels the doubt of this time so clearly.

He’s always felt unworthy of Raihan, no matter what Raihan told him. His doubt went down over the course of their relationship, but during Galar’s Second Dark Age he felt even less worthy of him when Raihan could charge on after the death of his beloved Gym Trainers like it was nothing. Yet he crumbled for the death of a little brother he didn’t know enough, a kid he barely knew, and a childhood friend he abandoned.

Raihan’s always been the stronger one between the two of them, despite the ~~10-0~~ 5-0 in Leon’s favour.

His mind spirals down and starts to wander aimlessly after over a year of breaking that habit for fear of death. It’s a terrible decision in hindsight, because it takes him to some dark corners and memories and experiences he’s pushed back for the sake of his survival. It makes him lose his focus at several points. Kabu comments on it, Nessa and Piers tell him to get his head in the game, while Charlotte asks if he’s okay.

Raihan didn’t say anything about it, and Leon isn’t sure if he’s grateful for that or not.

* * *

“Can we go somewhere private? I wanna ask you something...”

Leon can’t help but smile at how adorably nervous Raihan looks, “Sure, I was planning to go see the garden, so let’s go talk there.” It’s a lie he pulls out of his ass, but the garden has... important meaning to him— to _them._ Not yet, but one day again, his foolish heart hopes, blindly following Raihan like a lovestruck fool.

But when he takes a moment to look _away_ from his heart, he notices something. This— This isn’t the path to the garden— Well, it _is,_ but it’s a pretty scenic route. Raihan only takes him on this route to spend more time with him before he has to leave again.

Why...

“Why are we taking this route?”

“Because it’s faster.” He’s lying, why’s Raihan lying?

“No it isn’t.”

“Y- Yes, it is.” Liar.

“No, it isn’t,” He snaps unintentionally, before he softens at the sight of Raihan’s flinch. Switching from cold fury to cocky in the blink of an eye, because if Raihan won’t answer to his concerns, he has other means to get him to talk.

“Wanna race there then?” Raihan challenges, but it feels like an ass pull that Raihan hopes will work. He’ll allow this. He’ll go with whatever Raihan’s planning.

“You’re on.” He needs to check on something in the castle anyway.

“Great! See ya there!”

“Not if I get there first!” He knows he will, because he knows things that Raihan doesn’t.

Raihan doesn’t notice it, but Leon made sure to run a bit slower than he normally would. He takes a turn to a hall that’s a dead end. It barely takes him a second to register what to do.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this chapter was originally written to be Chapter 9 to the original Chapter 8, but then of course this is chapter 10! So things happened... yeah
> 
> I think this is when the quick updates will slow down a lot this time guys, sorry!
> 
> Edit: Am Sorry


	11. Interlude

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Trigger Warnings in Author's Note please read it.
> 
> An Interlude to the Fallen Timeline (should've had this when this chapter first aired to avoid confusion)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

>  **TW:** Death. Blood. Major & Minor Character Death. Burning. Drowning. Dying. Major Injury. Stab.  
> Relatively Graphic Detailing Of Injuries, at least how the injuries got there but not for long but still putting this here for safety.

Raihan remembers how they died. How they _all_ died.

He remembers holding Leon back from running into the collapsing buildings to save his brother.

He remembers watching Amelia, Leon, and Emcee dig through the rubble to try and find him, hoping he survived. He remembers sharing a look with his fellow Gym Leaders, they all knew that it was too late but none of them could gain the courage to tell them otherwise.

He remembers Sonia forcefully pulling Leon away from his digging to tell him the truth the trio was in denial of.

“Hop’s gone, Leon. His shields could only last so long under so much weight.” Sonia knows it better than almost anyone, how much pressure Hop’s shield can take. The only one who knows it better than Sonia would be Emcee and Hop himself.

Raihan remembers holding an eerily tense Leon in his arms once they found Hop’s body as Emcee weeped. Amelia looking at her son’s corpse with a stare that seemed far too used to losing people, but that doesn’t mean it still doesn’t hurt. If Raihan had paid more attention, would he have noticed similarities between Leon and Amelia’s stares?

Everything after that was a blur as they desperately fought to survive and protect the civilians. Everyone was walking on eggshells around the remaining members of the Eudios family, but with Emcee they were even more careful because they don’t know how the sword will react now that their shield is missing.

No one really realized how much Emcee’s behaviour had changed until it was too late. The kid had gotten reckless, too reckless to the point that they were going to crash and burn.

But Emcee Nike Blairs didn’t crash and burn. They bled and cried.

All Raihan remembers from the scene were the razor sharp leaves pierced into the area surrounding the kid. Leon had the kid’s head on his lap as he apologized for something that was never his fault.

The kid was smart enough to know that they were dying, but it sent chills up Raihan’s spine and dread pool in his stomach at the kid’s silent tears and tragic smile.

“I don’t blame you. None of you should blame yourselves for this. Don’t blame yourselves for my or Hop’s deaths. Neither of us would want that... at least... now... I get to see him again...”

Leon’s shoulders shook with a sob that he never voiced, while Amelia kneeled next to him to request, “Tell him we miss him, okay?”

Emcee gave them a smile, the same one Hop wore on his face when they found him, “Of course,” They said, before releasing their final breath.

Galar was left without a Sword or Shield, and no one knew who would be qualified to be the next chosen heroes. Leon refused to even _look_ at the weapons of legend.

* * *

Raihan remembers when everyone stopped calling Eternatus by name. It was after Eternatus slayed Raihan’s own Gym Trainers before the public’s very eyes on live tv.

Sebastian, despite the rain and water around him, burned in the purple flames that beast produced.

Camellia drowned in the sea of poison It brought forth, with a futile attempt to try and evaporate it.

Aria was pierced by the monster’s wing bones, regardless of the powerful Blizzards her team threw at it and the heavy hail that no doubt obscured the dragon’s vision.

Raihan remembers that day as the start of Eternatus’ rise to power. Once again, Galar entered a Dark Age.

He didn’t cry or screamed, he was simply numb, like a part of him knew this was inevitable and was prepared to shut down. After that, it felt like he couldn’t feel emotions anymore, at least not as deeply as someone _should_ he’s pretty sure.

He remembers when he realized that his emotional numbness hadn't really stopped, it was when he felt emotions so violently and intensely all of a sudden that he couldn’t remember much of what happened after.

Panic, fear, and dread all coiled into one, urging him to push Leon out of harm's way before a sudden spike of pain stabbed into his side as his blood soaked into his clothes and staining Leon’s hands as he tried to apply pressure to the wound.

Leon was crying above him, begging him not to leave him like his dad, brother, and childhood friend did. He promised that he wouldn’t, because he won’t. Not now, not ever.

He remembers waking up, apparently days later, with Leon asleep by his bed. Leon’s cheeks stained with tears, exhaustion in all of his features.

* * *

Raihan remembers making sure that Nessa didn’t crumble and fade away when Sonia died.

None of them were there when it happened, they were informed that she had and they went out on their own to find her body on their own. They couldn’t give her— or anyone else who’s died— a proper funeral or even a cremation without attracting the attention of some rogue Pokemon.

All they could do was place her body somewhere a bit more hidden than out on the abandoned, damaged street where she died, and make sure her Pokemon lived on. Many of them chose to go with Nessa, but only her Blastoise was still willing to fight. The rest were still mourning and needed to heal in the safety of the settlement.

He remembers pouring hours into Sonia’s research notes alongside Leon and Nessa, and not making sense of anything written. Only Leon seemed to have a grasp on what Sonia wrote, and when he tried to explain it to them it still didn’t make sense. Maybe there was some missing context that Sonia didn’t write down and Leon knows of?

He watched Leon memorize and analyze those notes like his life depended on it (which it did, technically). Leon started a little journal filled with breakdowns of Sonia’s research, context of where she was and what had happened when she wrote those notes, and where Hop and Emcee were during those dates as well.

After a while, Leon managed to explain exactly what Sonia’s notes would inform them about.

But none of them cared about anything else other than the notes on Eternatus, so Leon begrudgingly gives them only the necessary information.

Eternatus fell from space a few millennia ago and brought with it the energy they used to Dynamax.  
The form that fought Leon and the kids was merely a skeleton, a shell of its former glory. They haven’t even seen a fraction of its true form. Its Eternamax form is more of a last-restore form rather than its full power.  
Eternatus is also extremely intelligent, able to strategize and analyze its opponents. Its original form might have wings ( _might? What do you mean by might?!_ ), and its stats are absolutely nuts, leagues higher than even that Ultra Necrozma Alola’s Champion fought.

Raihan remembers sharing a look with his fellow Gym Leaders before they all looked back at their Champion expectantly. Leon sighed and grumbled, “Fine.”

Then they went to plan their attack. It could only end one of two ways, Raihan hoped that it was the one where they win and live.

* * *

Leon remembers, in painstaking detail, how that battle ended.

He fought tooth and nail to try and take it down or at least weaken it enough so the Gym Leaders can collectively finish it. But his attacks were barely leaving a scratch, his team went down even faster than last time (Charizard being shot out of the sky with a Flamethrower— Braviary trying to catch him and slow their fall, only to be hit with its tail— _it has a_ **_tail_ **—).

He returned them to their Pokeballs as soon as they went down until it was just him and that _monster (Ultra Beast,_ Sonia’s notes speculated) atop the roof where it defeated him the first time. Except this time, there were two kids he gave starters to that would come in to save the day.

Leon knew he was looking death right in the eye, and its eyes were a sea of muddied gold with blood red at the centre, its dark pupils slitted. He didn’t risk hoping for miracles, so he tossed his pokeball belt aside and braced for impact.

But then he heard Scot yelling and turned his head to see that the team had arrived. He didn’t know what happened after the Dynamax Canon punctured a hole through his torso.

Instead of death and the chance to see Hop, dad, Sonia, and Emcee again, he woke up in the hotel in Hammerlocke back to when he was 15.


	12. Family Matters

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> High-key fucked up again because I panic uploaded an unfinished chapter once I remembered this fic existed, only the first part of that stays, the second bit will be in the next chapter!
> 
> Summary: Leon has dinner, sees Two (2) birbs, and Rose feels Fear™ of a Threat in the Distance

Leon mindlessly watches the Braviary fly outside his train cart window, knowing well that that’s his mother’s Braviary, Aeris.

Mum sent her Pokemon to live with a friend or with her parents once she retired because she knew they wouldn’t be able to spread their wings as much. The only Pokemon she kept on hand since Leon was born is her Corviknight, Butterfree, and then later, Charizard and her baby Charmander that was hatched the same day Leon was born.

During the end of the world, Leon learned so much about his mum that neither him or Hop ever knew despite him working so closely with the League since he was a child.

Amelia Katharine Paganous was Hammerlocke’s Flying Type Gym Leader, having taken Philip’s place in the major league when she was sixteen. For the ballsiest of challengers, they could request a harder challenge mode that she offered. A Sky Battle, a style she learned when she travelled Kalos as a lass.

Her ace was the same, Daffodil the Butterfree, but it's the rest of her team that are utter _terrors._ Kingsley the Corviknight is also capable of Gigantamax, and is usually the one the press advertise as her true ace, so people tend to use their Dynamax earlier than expected when he comes out. Ember, her Charizard, only appears for challengers she believes have great potential. And that’s only the Pokemon he’s sure she has now! Though, it is strange that Aeris was around when he and Hop asked to fly with her.

**Thump!**

He shakes himself out of his thoughts to find a Rufflet flying away from his window, and back to his presumed parent. The Rufflet is _small_ for his kind, a runt, with a particular scar across his belly— _Verdis._

He gaps at the Rufflet, _his_ Rufflet. The friend and teammate he’s yet to meet, the companion he trained alongside the three young starters he took just two years before he endorsed the kids. Verdis is his mother’s Braviary’s son. _What the fuck._

The Flying types look at his shocked expression inquisitively before flying away, into the wide open skies, disappearing from his view. He flops into his seat to have a small crisis.

* * *

Leon gets home just in time for dinner, they talk about what happened since Leon was home. Nan apparently got into a fist fight with someone at the market over the ‘ethical’ reasons of shearing Wooloo. She won, of course, she lives in a town full of  _ Wooloo _ farmers, who know better than anyone that Wooloo  _ need _ to be shorn leas they overheat from the thickness of their wool and perish. Pops caught Hop a Wooloo for a friend, mainly because Hop and the Wooloo refused to part and he couldn’t bear to see  _ both _ a disappointed Wooloo and grandson. Mum mentions something about bringing out some old Pokemon from their current homes at some friends’ ranch.

In turn, Leon catches them up on what he’s been doing. A few photoshoots, training, hanging out with some of the Gym Leaders, and making friends with Nessa and Piers.

“Nessa... she’s also a young model, right?” Nan asks, to which he nods, “I saw her on a magazine cover with you for multiple clothing lines, and from what I hear she’s quite the trainer too.”

“Of course, she didn’t become a Gym Leader for nothing! The only thing stopping her from getting a higher rank as a Gym Leader is location, she’s insistent on staying in Hulbury and I can’t blame her. Most of the young Gym Leaders are where they are because that’s their home. Piers, Milo, and Nessa were born and raised at their current gym cities. Even Ms. Melony was born and raised in Circhester from what I heard.”

“It’s quite interesting that the two ‘milestone’ Gyms are now being run by foreigners,” Amelia comments, before taking a sip of her drink.

Pops chuckles, “Wouldn’t be the first time Hammerlocke has a Gym Leader from another region, and the two most recent ones are from Kalos!”

Leon stares, wide-eyed. Mum was from Kalos?

“You didn’t know dearie?” He shakes his head. He felt like he  _ should _ have known. “I don’t blame you, the last  _ good _ Hammerlocke leader retired almost two decades ago.”

“Were they a dragon type trainer?” Hop curiously asks while nibbling on a nugget.

“No, she was an amazing flying type trainer. She had a specific rule for her battles. Challengers could fight her normally like every other Gym Battle prior, or they could take her on in a Sky Battle,” Nan starts, receiving enthusiastic and curious nods from her grandsons, “It’s a battle where none of the Pokemon ever touch the ground unless they’re knocked out. Most flying types are on it, as well as a few Pokemon with levitate as their ability. Despite Golurk’s ability to launch into the sky, it’s not allowed in Sky Battles because it can’t stay hovering like that the whole battle.”

“I thought you didn’t know a lot about battles, Nana?”

“Oh, I don’t sweetie, but, well, let’s just say this I had a lot of time to learn about this Gym Leader.”

“Is it because of their mysterious disappearance when she retired?”

Nan smiles, but Leon could see the subtle hints of a smirk in there, “You could say that.”

Mum awkwardly coughs, “So! Dandelion, sweetheart, how’s Raihan? You didn’t talk about him as much as you normally do, is something wrong?”

“Ah... No, not really. He was sort of avoiding me for some reason—” He knows the reason, the logical one at least. Raihan’s raging crush was become a bit unbearable, and Leon spending more time around others outside of work gives him the window to ask him out—  _ Wait— _ “I think he was going to tell me why, he asked me to meet up at the Hammerlocke Gardens after training today, but I was about to miss my train by the time he arrived.” He bites his tongue. He should’ve said ‘we’ but they know better than anyone why his sense of direction is awful so maybe they won’t think much of it.

His family hums in varying tones with a few nods from his grandparents (even Hop nods and hums along), while mum has this look on her face that he can somehow understand as her knowing exactly what’s up but keeping her expression neutral so no one knows.

* * *

Amelia already knew about Raihan’s crush on her son through Kabu and Charlotte, and from what Amelia can tell, Leon is just as interested (that one call she walked in on alone told her everything, how Leon  _ looked _ and  _ spoke _ to Raihan was far from the tone he used on the pitch and what he used to speak with Sonia).

But it’s rude to assume, so it’s best for her to confirm by asking, but not to forward or else he’ll scamper off. Though, she’s never been one to be subtle about some things.

Amelia and Leon are doing the dishes while her in-laws and son watch some TV. The perfect opportunity.

“So, Raihan.”

“Mhm??”

“I heard from some old friends that he has a crush on someone, and you’re his friend, do you have any idea who?”

Leon stutters and stammers before saying, “I don’t... I don’t know.”

“Could it be Piers? I heard they’re great friends. Or Nessa—”

“Nessa’s not into guys.”

“Oh.”

“Yeah...”

“How did...?”

“She, er, told me during a photoshoot? I was teasing and she thought I was flirting. I’m pretty sure she has a crush on Sonia?”

“Good for her. Sonia’s a great girl.”

“Yeah, she is.”

“Are you interested in her? Sonia, I mean.”

Leon drops a glass on a plate, but thankfully the distance between wasn’t enough to break anything but the sound is  _ loud, _ “I- I mean— She’s great and all, really! But... But... I— I don’t. I mean, when I was, like, twelve then yeah but  _ now? _ No! She’s just a friend! Besides, if I was I’d have to fight Nessa for her and I’d rather not get bitten by Chewie and Nommers... again.”

She smiles, before patting her son on the back with a chuckle, “I see. Do you have anyone you’re interested in now though?”

“I... I do. But I’m Champion, I’m too busy and have too many duties for romance. I don’t want to lose focus on training because of a relationship.”

“I see.”

* * *

Somewhere in Wyndon, Malcolm Rose feels a shiver crawl up his spine.

“Are you cold, sir?”

“No. I just felt a sudden surge of fear in me just now and I can’t pinpoint why.”

“Didn’t Leon go home today?”

“Yes, but what does that have to do with—  _ Amelia.” _

“That’s probably what caused that chill.”

“I’m in trouble, aren’t I?”

“Probably, but know that I cannot save you from her. The most I can do is give you time. So, either delay or accept your fate, I will support you.”

**Author's Note:**

> Blease comment it fuels my soul
> 
> Socials  
> [Writer's Blog](https://mythical-song-wolf.tumblr.com/)  
> [Pokemon Blog](https://pokemon-fangirl-myth.tumblr.com/)
> 
> Edit: As of 08/13/2020, anon comments are no longer allowed due to a mean comment from another fic and I'd rather not risk it here. I'm sorry


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